Heli-Box (Portable hangar)
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Heli-Box (Portable hangar)
Anyone seen a customised 40ft Shipping container used for a portable hangar?
Am looking into customising an open 40ft container by attaching a 4mt (13.2ft) pitched roof to the container (after it's delivered to our site)...
It'll be for the B206 Jetranger. (Dimensions for the B206 are 39.1ft x 6.8ft x 11.7ft - Max blade height)
It's a tight fit but it'll fit (just) - Am going to use a hydraulic lifter to get the aircraft in and out... Am also thinking along the lines of putting guiding batons on the floor so the horizontal stabilizers won't hit the sides of the container when it's guided in with the hydraulic lifter... and a "Stop" baton so the aircraft has to stop before the blade touches the back of the container wall.
Anyone done this?, any pictures anywhere? All ideas and suggestions welcome...
Thanks for your help in advance...
Regards,
kopter.
Am looking into customising an open 40ft container by attaching a 4mt (13.2ft) pitched roof to the container (after it's delivered to our site)...
It'll be for the B206 Jetranger. (Dimensions for the B206 are 39.1ft x 6.8ft x 11.7ft - Max blade height)
It's a tight fit but it'll fit (just) - Am going to use a hydraulic lifter to get the aircraft in and out... Am also thinking along the lines of putting guiding batons on the floor so the horizontal stabilizers won't hit the sides of the container when it's guided in with the hydraulic lifter... and a "Stop" baton so the aircraft has to stop before the blade touches the back of the container wall.
Anyone done this?, any pictures anywhere? All ideas and suggestions welcome...
Thanks for your help in advance...
Regards,
kopter.
Watch that max blade height! My 206 goes into a barn with a door that's too low,so everytime I put it away I have to go through a little dance involving the tie down going from front to back as the M/R head is under the top of the door! Havn't got the numbers in front of me, but 11.7ft sounds doubtful to me, especially if you've got high skids.
Sounds a neat idea: post a pic when it's done!
Sounds a neat idea: post a pic when it's done!
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Well, interesting idea.
A couple of things to remember though. Anything that collides with a helicopter will win. Being mostly around airplanes and lately more around helicopters, I have found that one of best things to have is a lot of room. Building a tin-shed style hangar is not that expensive compared to repairing a helicopter. You would need to have sideways guides that starts quite a few metres in front of the container (sorry, hangar
), that sort of takes away the portability. Will there be a need for a ramp to get the helicopter inside? If so, will the front blade protrude higher when on the ramp? If the hydraulic cart breaks down, will there be enough room to put on a pair of wheels and gently push it out? Will there be sufficient room to open a door when inside, otherwise it's a bummer to forget the wallet inside. If the weather isn't great, it's always nice to have some room to do most of the daily when still inside.
Just my thoughts. Good luck!
/2beers
A couple of things to remember though. Anything that collides with a helicopter will win. Being mostly around airplanes and lately more around helicopters, I have found that one of best things to have is a lot of room. Building a tin-shed style hangar is not that expensive compared to repairing a helicopter. You would need to have sideways guides that starts quite a few metres in front of the container (sorry, hangar
), that sort of takes away the portability. Will there be a need for a ramp to get the helicopter inside? If so, will the front blade protrude higher when on the ramp? If the hydraulic cart breaks down, will there be enough room to put on a pair of wheels and gently push it out? Will there be sufficient room to open a door when inside, otherwise it's a bummer to forget the wallet inside. If the weather isn't great, it's always nice to have some room to do most of the daily when still inside.Just my thoughts. Good luck!
/2beers
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Tie Down Blades Level
Why dont you just use two tie downs to ensure blades are level instead of the front blade being way up in the air?? It works for me
you can even make the front one a fixed length and put a hook on it to attatch to a cargo mirror bracket or make the front strap a Y strap and screw some P'clips to the toes of your JR skids....
The screws and the holes they go in already exist!!
The rear tiedown remains the same so you can put some slight tension on when tying down.
Just a thought
you can even make the front one a fixed length and put a hook on it to attatch to a cargo mirror bracket or make the front strap a Y strap and screw some P'clips to the toes of your JR skids....
The screws and the holes they go in already exist!!
The rear tiedown remains the same so you can put some slight tension on when tying down.
Just a thought
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Some good points, thanks….
RE: Will there be a need for a ramp to get the helicopter inside?
The container will be dropped onto grass with an adjacent bitumen area (this will be the lead up to the entrance to the box) – We are then going to excavate down 4 to 5 inches so we can sink the container enough to remove the lip of the entrance to the box.
RE: Will the front blade protrude higher when on the ramp?
The blades will be tied so they are horizontal… We have P clips already on the front of the skids.
RE: If the hydraulic cart breaks down, will there be enough room to put on a pair of wheels and gently push it out?
I have thought about this, I need 100 inches clearance to put the wheels on; it’ll be tight, but possible.
RE: Will there be sufficient room to open a door when inside?
Again, very tight.
The aircraft will also need to go in nose first.
RE: Will there be a need for a ramp to get the helicopter inside?
The container will be dropped onto grass with an adjacent bitumen area (this will be the lead up to the entrance to the box) – We are then going to excavate down 4 to 5 inches so we can sink the container enough to remove the lip of the entrance to the box.
RE: Will the front blade protrude higher when on the ramp?
The blades will be tied so they are horizontal… We have P clips already on the front of the skids.
RE: If the hydraulic cart breaks down, will there be enough room to put on a pair of wheels and gently push it out?
I have thought about this, I need 100 inches clearance to put the wheels on; it’ll be tight, but possible.
RE: Will there be sufficient room to open a door when inside?
Again, very tight.
The aircraft will also need to go in nose first.
Last edited by kopter; 15th Apr 2005 at 11:44.
Not enough $$$ ...
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If you're having to excavate a pad area for the container, how portable will this really be? How often will it be moved? Would the cost of throwing up a tin shed not be less than the hassle of (literally) shoe-horning a 206 into this space? Once you've removed the roof, it kind of takes away the value of buying an expensive watertight shipping container, no?
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We are not planning on moving the container... It's just a "what if we had to scenario"...
Unfortunately due to reasons beyond my control, we can't put up a permanent structure at the moment, so this solution is just to get the helicopter out of the weather until we can build something more permanent.
The container I'm going to buy has no roof... It's what they call a 40ft open top. The pitched roof I'm going to put on is going to be pre-fabricated off site and then delivered.
Unfortunately due to reasons beyond my control, we can't put up a permanent structure at the moment, so this solution is just to get the helicopter out of the weather until we can build something more permanent.
The container I'm going to buy has no roof... It's what they call a 40ft open top. The pitched roof I'm going to put on is going to be pre-fabricated off site and then delivered.
Not enough $$$ ...
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Okay, shows how much I know about shipping containers ... I've never seen any other than the closed up type. I hope this works out for you. I suppose putting up a shed would still involve pouring a concrete slab, which I can see would be a bit of a pain if the site is a temporary location.
Like 206 jock said - be sure to post a picture of whatever you come up with!
Like 206 jock said - be sure to post a picture of whatever you come up with!
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KOPTER,
Wish you the best of luck with it mate!....ive just come home from an night off with the missus and she's asleep on the lounge so i can PPRUNE for awhlie and saw your thread!... excuse me other punters but ive had a good night off! .....mate sorry i couldnt help..anytime you want to layover at the PAD!..just call me it will be FOC!......
call me next week KOPTER ive got some interersting news for you, its the helicopter industry at its best!!.......you know what i mean!! back stabbing, infighting, corruption allegations, crying poor!!...i better go now before i really spit the dummy!! the helicopter industry sucks sometimes but i love it!!
anyway back to the thread....
Wish you the best of luck with it mate!....ive just come home from an night off with the missus and she's asleep on the lounge so i can PPRUNE for awhlie and saw your thread!... excuse me other punters but ive had a good night off! .....mate sorry i couldnt help..anytime you want to layover at the PAD!..just call me it will be FOC!......
call me next week KOPTER ive got some interersting news for you, its the helicopter industry at its best!!.......you know what i mean!! back stabbing, infighting, corruption allegations, crying poor!!...i better go now before i really spit the dummy!! the helicopter industry sucks sometimes but i love it!!
anyway back to the thread....
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A couple of points to remember when using a 40-foot open top container (which I learned the hard way):
1. The door is narrower than the internal dimensions of the container. So even if it is wide enough inside the container it might not be wide enough at the door.
2. The open tops I have seen/used still have the top door top beam fixed in place, and this can be an issue
1. The door is narrower than the internal dimensions of the container. So even if it is wide enough inside the container it might not be wide enough at the door.
2. The open tops I have seen/used still have the top door top beam fixed in place, and this can be an issue
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I Know of one owner who inverted his open top, cut the beam out and placed the container on a raised foundation of breeze blocks.
The doors had been extended with a draft excluder fitted and electrics plumbed in through the side of the container. He also tunnel groved the floor to allow run of from any spillage, this went into a collector for easy removal.
By using a simple electric winch place center rear with a long control lead he could pull the heli into and out of the hangar.
He controlled the back of the heli holding the tail skid area and used the helis own wheels. by placing a pulley at the oposite end of the landing area (in front of the hangar) and running the winch cable around it he could also pull the heli out.
Seemed to work. Just a thought!
The doors had been extended with a draft excluder fitted and electrics plumbed in through the side of the container. He also tunnel groved the floor to allow run of from any spillage, this went into a collector for easy removal.
By using a simple electric winch place center rear with a long control lead he could pull the heli into and out of the hangar.
He controlled the back of the heli holding the tail skid area and used the helis own wheels. by placing a pulley at the oposite end of the landing area (in front of the hangar) and running the winch cable around it he could also pull the heli out.
Seemed to work. Just a thought!
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Helibox
Well, here it is.... The Helibox. (Starting life as a 40ft open-top shipping container and now a hangar! - Attached at the far end is a 10ft container which serves as a small workshop/storage area).
Thanks to my two good friends (CDP & CB) for all their assistance for getting the Helibox from concept to a fantastic solution for housing my pride & joy!!!
Thanks to my two good friends (CDP & CB) for all their assistance for getting the Helibox from concept to a fantastic solution for housing my pride & joy!!!
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It's been dubbed "The Church" by colleagues here at the Heliport! - For me.... A solution at last, hail or shine!
Funny enough I have a Heli-wedding on today for a couple who are getting married over the Harbour!
- For me.... A solution at last, hail or shine!Funny enough I have a Heli-wedding on today for a couple who are getting married over the Harbour!