Ingo Graul uses an Actros 1848 to transport helicopters throughout Europe

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Better than flying.

Demanding customers, expensive cargo and jobs at short notice – in his Actros with special semi-trailer, Ingo Graul transports helicopters of every size, such as the EC225 Super Puma.


The heat shimmers rise from the tarmac ramp. At Kassel Airport, preparations are underway for an Airbus helicopter. But on this tour, the helicopter will not lift off so much as a metre. Ingo Graul and his silver Actros 1848 will make this possible.

The 53-year-old has been a heli-transporter driver at Airglaze Aviation for almost two years. The Actros pulls a special low-loader which not only can be extended but can also be widened. So equipped, Ingo’s truck can load helicopters of various designs and sizes. After all, not only helicopters are expensive – so is each individual flying hour. “For scheduled servicing and maintenance, it is often more economical to not fly the aircraft but rather to bring it to its destination by land,” says Ingo.



Ingo used to sail boats.

A lashing eye: 5.000 euros A mudguard: 12.000 euros A sensor: 20.000 euros It causes a fright to hear Ingo Graul list everything that can break on a helicopter and how expensive it is to repair. “One becomes that little bit more careful, and then everything’s fine,” says Ingo.

Bremen-born Ingo knows all about working with valuable freight, having previously spent years in yacht transportation – expensive cargo and demanding customers are therefore nothing new to him.



“Loading and unloading is particularly tricky. You used to need a crane for that,” says Ingo. “With the EC225, for example, in order to fit it on a conventional trailer, you had to disassemble the landing gear.” On the heli-transporter, the helicopter can be pushed on. “That removes the need for long-term crane rentals. We are quicker and more flexible,” says Ingo. That is important for aircraft-on-the-ground operations.

The out-of-service helicopter then has to be made flight-ready again as fast as possible. “For an air rescue helicopter, if we first have to order a crane to be delivered to the pick-up location, it is very time-consuming – in that instance, it concerns people’s lives.” 



Sophisticated technology.

Ingo positions the truck and trailer on the tarmac ramp in front of the hangar. Forward once more, then back again, so the yellow taxiway line lies directly under the middle of the truck and trailer.

“We use that to orient ourselves when we push up the helicopter,” explains Ingo. He then climbs out of the cab and locks the rear-axle brakes on the tail of the trailer.

Then he gets back behind the wheel. A gentle push on the accelerator – and the Actros extends the trailer by about five metres in length.



The boss does the loading himself.

Once the hydraulic and pneumatic lines have been released, the rear part of the trailer can be decoupled. Ingo places the tractor unit alongside and begins to assemble the ramps and extensions. Not a minute too soon – a large, white vehicle is approaching from the other side of the ramp.

“Today, the boss himself is driving,” says Ingo. His boss, Graham Clarkson, steps out of the push-back vehicle – his hand, still firmly on the wheel. Directed by Ingo and his fellow driver Marcel Lohse, Clarkson – who hails from Scotland – manoeuvres the EC225 on to the low-loader. 



As of recently, two heli-transporters have been in operation.

Marcel Lohse helps Ingo to lash the Super Puma to the trailer. The 29-year-old has only been behind the wheel of the second heli-transporter for six weeks. A trained aircraft mechanic, Lohse also previously worked in boat transport.

“The demand for helicopter transport is extremely high,” says Graham Clarkson, explaining the acquisition of the second truck. “When we had the idea for the shuttle, the first orders had already been placed before the trailer had been built.

And now we are operating two of them.” The heli-transporter has already hauled around 90 helicopters. 



A Super Puma for Shanghai.

It’s 7 p.m. After a couple of hours’ rest, it starts – a briefing with the crew of the BF-3 and BF-4 escort vehicles. The route proceeds from Kassel Airport for about 30 kilometres along the B 7 main road. “Here, we have to turn as if in England; otherwise, we won’t make it round,” says Ingo, pointing to a bridge crossing in his road book. “That means driving on to the road via the exit and the oncoming lane.” It’s almost 8 p.m., and everyone is ready – the convoy rolls out. Ingo has a 430-kilometre drive ahead of him. His destination is the Überseehafen in Bremerhaven. The helicopter’s journey continues from there two days later – again, not by air, but rather by sea on a freight ship bound for Shanghai, China. Now others are tasked with ensuring it arrives safely.


Photos: Sebastian Vollmert
Video: Martin Schneider-Lau

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