Flying D&L Swingblade

[gcgrant]

About the only way to get my swingblade into our fly-in fishing camp was to take in my pickup to the nearest logging road where we helicopter our supplies in from, and take it for a helicopter ride.
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It's hard to get helicopter and mill in one frame with such a long line.
I also flew in a logging arch/carrier that I had made out of 5"square tubing and 16"wheels on stub axles.  Of course the arch has been named "Archie"

[Dave Shepard]

Looks like fun! Do you get to ride in the helicopter?


Dave

[gcgrant]

We also have a hiking trail into the camp, but as I get older I'm taking the helicopter ride more often.  They can't carry passengers when they are slinging a load tho.

[sawguy21]

Hey George, welcome back.  8) Been wondering if the bears got you. That is pretty expensive transportation especially at the current cost of fuel.

[gcgrant]

Yep at close to $1400/hr. with fuel you have to spend your time wisely.  It is amazing how much lifting you can get done in a short time.  Our camp is only about a 6min flight away from the end of the road.  We used to do everything by floatplane, but the mill and the arch would have been impossible to take in by floatplane.  Most of our supplies, diesel, propane groceries etc. are flown in with a cargo net.  Believe me that beats packing all that heavy stuff out of a floatplane.  The helicopter can set it right by the back door.
With the expenses of transportation it sure feels good everytime I pull a piece of lumber off the mill.  With all the lodgepole in our area beetle killed, I will not soon run out of material for the mill.  We're in a provincial park.  The Parks dept has no problem with me lessening the fire hazard by milling up the logs, but I'm not allowed to fly the lumber out and sell it!!  I think that would make the lumber a bit more expensive than the market would bear!! :D

[nas]

It may be expensive transportation but I'm sure it beats hauling every stick of lumber in.  It sure is nice to have the mill where you want it when you want it. 8) 8) 8)