heavy-lift


Cripps cautions: “you have to be aware of the central gravity point of the machinery involved”


of this type of load is a large power transformer. “Transformers are very heavy and dense. You have to be aware of the central gravity point of the machinery involved and the lifting points,” commented Lesley Cripps, sales manager cargo for UK- based worldwide air charter company Chapman Freeborn, whose past experience in that sector has included flying three 64- tonne transformers from Delhi to Kabul using an AN-124 freighter. Similar points were made by


Ruslan’s Goodisman. “We can carry single pieces of project cargo on the AN-124 of up to around 100


tonnes. Those units can be quite dense so we always try to spread the weight over the ribs underneath the cargo cabin floor,” he stated. Weight and density are not the only issues associated with


moving large power plant equipment by air, though. Goodisman explained that in the case of transformers, one of the challenges is how to prevent moisture getting into the units during transportation. There are two options, he said. “You can leave the transformer’s own oil inside during the transportation, or fill it up with an inert gas,


and connect it to some sort of high pressure cylinder. If you go down the high pressure cylinder route you have to be aware of pressure changes in the aircraft cabin and keep an eye on pressure differences during the flight.”


Helping after conflict


War can often leave a legacy of demand for the air transport of heavy and other project cargo into the area concerned to support the urgently-needed rebuilding of damaged or destroyed infrastructure. Libya, for example, is expected to offer substantial opportunities for that type of business as and when the current conflict in that country is resolved. “I imagine that once the country stabilises there is going to


be a great deal of project cargo going in there,” agreed Lesley Cripps, sales manager cargo for UK-based worldwide air charter company Chapman Freeborn. “Before all the recent developments, there were a lot of


projects happening in Libya, primarily oil and gas related. It was one of those markets that everyone, including ourselves, was looking at. “In fact one of my colleagues was in Libya two weeks


before all the troubles started talking to various companies about projects that were happening there.”


AIR LOGISTICS CHINA 23


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