Local crane manufacturer Condra’s Germiston workshop will soon take on the challenge of manufacturing a bespoke 5 t double-girder electric overhead travelling crane for the purpose of training helicopter crew and emergency personnel at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), in Gauteng, as part of a short learning programme in aviation rescue.

Condra alongside international engineering company MH Automation secured the contract with UJ in December last year and expects to fulfil delivery in June, says Condra director Kyle Kleiner, who describes the project as a “first for Africa”.

The crane will be used to simulate real-life emergency situations by hoisting and lowering personnel over water and land to practise ditching, for example, as well as to create an air ambulance platform using a Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin, produced by French aerospace products manufacturer Airbus’ helicopter manufacturing division, Airbus Helicopters.

The crane will also be used to submerge a second helicopter for underwater escape training (HUET) to simulate a crash scenario.

“We were up against several international crane suppliers, but Condra’s history of meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations during our almost 60 years in business, and our design, secured the contract with UJ. We are one of the leaders in materials handling technology and will ensure a close working relationship with the client to ensure that we meet their technical specifications for this project,” says Kleiner.

While the manufacturing of the crane has yet to start, he expects challenges, as several engineering fields need to be incorporated. Condra met with Airbus and South African Police Service Air Wing last month to discuss the integration of aerospace technology with mechanical and electrical engineering, as well as automation, to simulate various scenarios as close to reality as possible.

The crane will be tested in its entirety at Condra’s workshop prior to it being commissioning on site at UJ by the company. Kleiner expects the AS365 Dauphin to arrive from Canada to facilitate testing at Condra’s facility by the end of April.

“This project draws upon all the engineering knowledge that we have accumulated since we opened our doors in 1966. It has also opened us up to new fields of engineering, namely aviation, which we haven’t had the privilege of being exposed to in the past.”

Once commissioned on site, Condra and MH Automation will train the client in the crane’s operation, including how to change between the AS365 Dauphin and the HUET simulation for different training scenarios.