Grove takes airport heritage skywards

A Grove GMK7550 all-terrain crane was recently brought in to help transform the Washington Dulles International Airport flight tower into a museum.

The 450-tonne (550-ton) crane was used to lift a refurbished radar dome to the top of a tower. However, the challenge was that the lift took place amid busy air space at one of the countries busiest airports.

Air space was closed around the crane while it worked, and lights and flags were attached to the crane to make sure it was visible. The crane was configured with 48.7 m (160 ft) of main boom with 48.7 m (160 ft) of luffing jib to lift the 6.8-tonne (7.5-ton) dome 60.9 m (200 ft) high to the top of the tower. The project took one week to complete.

Local contractor J. Wayne Poole was responsible for erecting the refurbished radar dome on top of the tower. The company rented the GMK7550 from the Alexandria branch of rental firm WO Grubb.