Category: Rigging Job between $150,000 and $750,000

Assembling a new control tower at Heathrow Airport

The recent expansion of London's Heathrow Airport necessitated a new control tower. The lifting and transportation contractor (Fagioli PSC Limited, Iver, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom) worked with the steelwork contractor (Watson Steel, Bolton, Lancashire, United Kingdom) to minimize disruption and keep construction equipment below the radar ceiling so that airport operations could continue safely.

During a two-hour period one night, the 101 foot high, 900 ton cab was assembled offsite, fully glazed, and transported 1.8 kilometers across the airport to the lifting location on three units of six-axle Scheuerle self propelled modular transporters (SPMT).

The cab and its transport and erection frame were then connected to the pre-erected lifting system while temporary guy wires were connected and prepared for the lifting operation. During the lift, a series of 40 foot mast sections were added until the tower reached an elevation of 285 feet and a completed weight of 1,150 tons. Lifting equipment included three identical Fagioli PSC Towerlift masts and associated strand jacks.