Sikorsky S-55, S-58 and H-34: The Family Behind the S-58T
The S-55 led to the larger S-58 and military H-34 family. The turbine S-58T still appears in lift fleets, with payload limits tied to the aircraft and job.
The editorial desk
Erran F. Yearty
Founder and Editor, AHLH. Heavy-lift planning and jobsite coordination.
Erran F. Yearty is the founder and editor of American Heavy Lift Helicopters. He is a co-founder of Fair Lifts Helicopter Services and served as its Chief Marketing Officer. He has helped plan heavy lift operations and worked on site, under the downwash, alongside ground rigging crews and rooftop setting crews. His experience comes from coordinating the work and being there as loads move from the ground to their set points.
At AHLH, he writes and edits for readers who need to understand how a lift is planned and what can change the estimate. He pays particular attention to the qualifications behind aircraft capacity figures and regulatory requirements, including exceptions that can change how a rule applies to a job.
He is also a software engineer and web developer, and the CEO of Sputnik Digital Effects. He has managed and developed the software and portfolio projects presented on its website. The software includes VanityFilter, Sputnik Markdown Viewer, AI Stripper and Sputnik Signal. His portfolio work includes the website and AI systems built for Clean Getaway, as well as VanityFilter and Fair Lifts.
Heavy-lift planning and jobsite coordination
Unmanned aircraft field operations
CEO, Sputnik Digital Effects
Former CMO, Fair Lifts Helicopter Services
Software engineer and web developer
The byline
Articles by Erran
Sikorsky S-61: The Civil Sea King as a Heavy Lifter
The Sikorsky S-61N hook is published at 10,000 lb against a 12,336 lb empty weight. Variants, hull penalty, fire tanks and what to check on a proposal.
Restricted-Category Helicopters and Urban Lift Limitations
Restricted-category helicopters like the surplus CH-47D and UH-60A may not fly Part 133 loads over populated areas under 133.45(d), even with an approved plan.
Bell 204 and 205: The Civil Huey Lineage
The civil Huey line runs 204B, 205A-1, 212 and 214B on one airframe. A 205A-1 is certificated to 10,500 lbs external, leaving about 4,000 lbs on the hook.
Who Is Responsible for What During a Helicopter Lift
OSHA 1926.551(h) puts load size, weight and connection on the helicopter operator. The pilot in command has final authority. The rest is contract.
Boeing CH-47 Chinook: The Civil Heavy-Lift Profile
Two Chinooks fly US civil work: Columbia's standard-category Model 234 at 25,000 lbs and restricted CH-47D conversions at 28,000 lbs. Specs, hooks and rules.
Load Spin, Swing, and Bounce: Controlling a Suspended Load in Flight
A slung load swings, spins, and bounces, and each has its own driver and its own fix. Line length, drogues and fins, and collective grip are the controls.
Kaman K-MAX K-1200: The Helicopter Built Only to Lift
The Kaman K-1200 K-MAX lifts 6,000 pounds on 85 gallons an hour and seats one. Full specifications, the payload-by-altitude curve, and why only 60 were built.
Night External-Load Operations: Flying a Lift After Dark
Part 133 never mentions night. A lift after dark runs on the same certificate, and what changes comes from Part 91 minimums, pilot recency, and OSHA lighting.
Ground Crew PPE for Helicopter Lifts: What OSHA 1926.551 Requires
OSHA 1926.551 names just two items for the crew receiving a helicopter load: complete eye protection and hard hats with chinstraps. The rest comes elsewhere.
Permitting a Helicopter Lift: Which Agency Approves What, and When to File
No single permit authorizes a helicopter lift. Approvals stack across the FAA, the state, and the city, and New York City wants its filing 20 days out.
Helicopter Lift Insurance and Liability: The Coverage a Contractor's Ground Policy Does Not Provide
A contractor's general liability policy excludes aircraft, so a helicopter lift rides on the operator's aviation insurance: hull, liability, and on-hook cover.