Hird crane expertise wins positive response at MRO Middle East

Valla – ideal solution

Carl Cooper, Hird’s Sales and After-Sales Manager, said: “We were very pleased with the interest we received from visitors about Valla cranes.

“We had the opportunity to explain the benefits of using the mini cranes for a range of lifting functions in aircraft maintenance setting.

“Aviation is booming across the Middle East, with new large airports under construction in multiple locations, each of which need substantial aircraft maintenance facilities.

“Developers, airlines and MRO specialists all increasingly seeing the sense in using Valla pick and carry cranes for aviation maintenance.

“In many cases, it means large overhead cranes conventionally installed in hangars are not needed, which reduces hangar construction costs and allows more flexible and productive lifting solutions.

“We were approached by several companies who manufacturer aircraft hangers. They all agreed they are always asked for an alternative solution to overhead cranes. The consensus was that Valla battery-powered cranes were an ideal solution.”

Wireless remote control

Unlike fixed overhead gantry cranes, Valla pick and carry cranes can also be operated both inside and outside hangars, so urgent maintenance tasks can be carried out on airport aprons.

The Hird team was able to cite the experience of Jet Aviation, a Dubai-based MRO, which has just taken delivery of a Valla V110R pick and carry crane.

The electric mini crane, with a maximum safe working load of 11t, will be used to change engines on a range of commercial and private aircraft.

Using the Valla ‘V’ range of wireless remote-control cranes gives the aircraft engineer more freedom to carry out lifting tasks for maintenance work on the aircraft by being directly in control of the lift.

Enhanced safety

This reduces the size of teams needed to carry out a lift and reduces the risk of error. This is a particular priority in the aviation industry due to its strong health and safety culture and the potential financial cost of mistakes.

Jet Aviation will be using the Valla V110R crane to carry out standard engine changes on Gulfstream aircraft and others, along with many other MRO tasks required.

The Valla V range is the ideal lifting solution for clean engineering environments, with no fumes, no emissions in the hanger. The pick and carry cranes are also designed to be particularly compact which supports safe operation in complex environments. 

A range of electric Valla cranes supplied by Hird are proving their worth at MRO facilities around the world. They include the Valla 220SE, a slewing crane with a SWL of 22t specifically designed for aviation maintenance.