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.
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
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.
The Skyhook Program: How the Fulton Surface-to-Air Recovery System Worked
The Fulton Skyhook lifted people and cargo into a flying aircraft without landing. How it worked, where it flew, and why it shaped modern lift.
The Case for Expert Lift Coordination: How Professional Planning De-Risks a Heavy Lift
Why professional lift coordination de-risks a heavy helicopter lift, from lift specification and operator vetting to aircraft matching and schedule staging.
Rigging a Helicopter Lift: Slings, Angles, and the Design Factors That Keep a Load Flying
Why aerial rigging departs from crane practice: center of gravity, sling-angle tension, 5:1/7:1/10:1 design factors, and ASME B30 hardware.
How to Vet a Helicopter Lift Operator: A Part 133 Prequalification Guide
A prequalification guide to verifying a helicopter lift operator's Part 133 certificate, insurance stack, and safety record before you sign.