A 300-tonne crane has been deployed to help salvage a FedEx plane that landed without its front landing gear at Istanbul Airport.
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Mobilised by Turkish crane rental company, Öz Tuncel, a Grove GMK6300L-1 was called to assist a Boeing 767 cargo plane after it landed without the front gear, bumping its nose on the runway and sending sparks flying everywhere.
To support the rescue of the aircraft, the 300-tonne crane was on site for eight hours, lifting the 15.4-tonne nose of the plane while ensuring strict control of the load so no other parts of the plane were damaged or moved during removal.
“We needed a crane that we could rely on, and Grove’s GMK6300L-1 was the perfect choice,” said owner of Öz Tuncel, Ali Dogan Tuncel. “The strength and control of the crane were exceptional, allowing us to execute this difficult operation with no problems.”
The GMK6300L-1 possesses a maximum lifting capacity of 300 tonnes and a seven-section Megaform, Twinlock 80m boom. Boom extensions are available via a swingaway 12m or 21m jib and two eight-metre optional additions. The crane’s carrier is powered by a EUROMOT 5 compliant Mercedes-Benz OM473LA, 430kW engine and features Grove’s patented Megatrak technology.
Furthermore, the 300-tonne Grove is capable of carrying 92.5 tonnes of counterweight all up, with the interchangeable slabs also able to be used on Grove’s 180-tonne, 200-tonne, and 250-tonne mobile cranes. Additionally, the crane can carry 21 tonnes of counterweight while falling under the 16.5-tonne per axle limit.
“The salvage was a success, and normal services were swiftly resumed at the airport, thanks, in part, to the reliability and precision of the GMK6300L-1,” said Tuncel. “We couldn’t be more satisfied with the performance of the crane on this project.”
ÖZ TUNCEL was conceived in 2000 and offers crane rental, heavy transport, and construction services across Turkey.