Aircraft

The challenge

An aircraft on the road: an unparalleled abnormal load

Prangl was already confronted with an unusual project in 2017. The plan was to transport an old 53.1 metre long and 43.2 metre wide aircraft from the Waldviertel to Graz and to lift it onto the roof of a hotel at its destination. Almost one year of pre-planning and numerous studies until it actually happened.

Our solution

High overall transport weigh as a challenge

The Ilyushin IL-62 - former aeroplane of the president of Czechoslovakia - was en route for two nights in total. On the first night, the 70 metre long abnormal load on a turntable trailer made its way from Heidenreichstein to Baden. The load consisted only of the aircraft fuselage - in its own custom framework. With a transport width of 5 metres and an overall transport weight of 121 tons, this project was clearly not a standard application.

Removing traffic lights, street lighting masts, etc.

Precision work was already called for in Lower Austria, but things got really tight in Graz. In addition to crossing a number of traffic islands, it was also necessary to temporarily disassemble traffic lights, street lighting masts, flagpoles, traffic signs and a ventilation shaft. Furthermore, a railway crossing was also provisionally adapted. The parking spaces on both sides of some road sections had to be cordoned off, to allow the transporter to pass through. The wings, tail, engines and other accessories had been delivered a few days beforehand.

Fuselage unloaded using a 200-tonne telescopic crane

The wingless fuselage was raised together with its frame (total weight of 54 tons) to a height of 10 metres and rotated through 90 degrees for intermediate placement on the sports field behind the hotel. During this manoeuvre, the aircraft only just passed by the façade of a neighbouring office building. And after rotation, the fuselage also jutted right across a heavily frequented main road. Safety was therefore of the highest priority in every regard. The fuselage was subsequently lifted onto the parking deck of the hotel by a 200 ton telescopic crane.

Safe and sound “landing” on the roof thanks to tandem lifting

There was then a break of several weeks for Prangl while the aircraft was assembled. However, as soon as it was in its fully assembled state, a 500 ton and a 200 ton telescopic crane lifted the 62 ton heavy object with wings onto the hotel roof at a height of roughly 25 metres. Graz therefore has a new attraction: The aircraft “landed” on the hotel roof on time. The outstanding efforts of the entire Prangl team transformed this exceptional project into a complete success. Countless onlookers can personally attest to this.