Difficult Access Helicopter Lifting in Queensland
The lift everyone else declined. If the load can be rigged and the airspace is workable, there is usually a way in about 20 minutes of flight time, and we will tell you honestly if there is not.
The problem
Why this lift is hard the conventional way
Some sites defeat conventional lifting outright: no standing space, no reach, no ground bearing, no road, or all four at once.
- Internal courtyards and light wells have no crane access at any size.
- Escarpments and cliff faces have neither road nor bearing capacity.
- Heritage fabric cannot tolerate outriggers, vibration or scaffolding.
- Over-water and foreshore placements sit beyond any boom.
How we do it
Aircraft, rigging, crew and duration
- Aircraft
- AS350, working maximum 800 kg, selected against radius and hover clearance
- Rigging method
- Engineered lift plan with bespoke rigging where required
- Crew
- Pilot, loadmaster, riggers, plus a dedicated recon prior to the day
- Typical duration
- Recon day plus a short, precise on-task window of about 20 minutes of flight time
- Feasibility assessment, we will decline a lift we cannot do safely.
- Physical recon: hover clearance, escape path, wind behaviour, exclusion zone.
- Engineered lift plan and bespoke rigging designed to the constraint.
- Short, rehearsed on-task window with contingency positions briefed.
Typical loads
What we lift, what it weighs, what it takes
| Item | Weight range | Aircraft | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courtyard plant unit | 200–700 kg | AS350 | 12 min |
| Heritage roof component | 150–700 kg | AS350 | 14 min |
| Cliff or escarpment hardware | 300–700 kg | AS350 | 16 min |
| Over-water pontoon component | 400–750 kg | AS350 | 16 min |
| Sculpture or public artwork | 300–700 kg | AS350 | 18 min |
Indicative only. Working payload reduces with radius, temperature and density altitude; every load is confirmed against the day's conditions.
Get your price range in a minute
Tell us the load and the site. You see an indicative range before we ask for your details. From $14,000 plus GST.
Request a liftRelated work
Lifts we have flown
640 kg
Internal courtyard plant
Four-sided light well with 9 m clearance. Placed vertically after a full rehearsal, on-site flight time about 12 minutes.
Brisbane · AS350
700 kg
Escarpment walkway sections, staged
Cliff-face boardwalk built entirely from the air over multiple sub-800 kg lifts, no track cut.
Sunshine Coast · AS350
650 kg
Foreshore artwork installation
Over-water placement onto a prepared plinth in front of a public audience, lift complete in around 18 minutes.
Gold Coast · AS350
Site requirements
What you need ready on the day
- Detailed site information: dimensions, obstructions, surrounding heights.
- Certified load weights and engineered lifting points.
- Agreement to a recon visit before the lift is priced firm.
- Comprehensive exclusion zone and public management plan.
- Structural nomination for the receiving point.
Cost factors
What moves the number
Recon and planning
Difficult access lifts carry genuine engineering time before the flight.
Hover clearance
Tight vertical envelopes lengthen the on-task window.
Public exposure
Exclusion zones in public areas require additional management.
Bespoke rigging
Purpose-designed rigging is charged at cost where required.
Questions
Difficult access lifting, frequently asked
Coverage
Where we fly this work
We provide difficult access lifting across Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba & Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Rockhampton & Capricorn Coast, Mackay & Whitsundays, Townsville, Cairns & Far North Queensland, Mount Isa & North West Queensland, Moreton Bay & Islands and everywhere else in Queensland, mobilising from 18 min in Brisbane to 5.8 hours in the North West.
Related services
Ready to book a lift?
Get an indicative price in about a minute, then a written quote.