Construction site air operations and heavy lift logistics

Construction Air Logistics & Heavy Lift

We engineer and coordinate heavy-lift air bridges for outsized machinery, modular camp infrastructure, and specialized trade workforces heading into remote and northern build sites.

Request a Heavy Cargo Charter Explore Mission Capabilities
Operational Scope & Capabilities

Airlift Solutions Built for Remote Construction

A global network of air logistics capabilities for every mission.

Mission Scope 01

Outsized Machinery & Heavy Equipment Airlift

Mobilizing heavy mobile equipment, electrical substations, and critical replacement parts directly to remote airstrips when ice roads melt or seasonal barge windows close.

Key Cargo Handled

  • Hydraulic Excavators & Dozer Blades
  • Diesel Generators & Substations
  • Core Drilling Rigs & Compressor Skids
  • Structural Steel & Bridge Sections

What We Do & How We Do It

  • What We Do: We mobilize heavy mobile equipment, electrical substations, drill rigs, and structural steel into remote build sites when surface transport is unavailable.
  • Floor-Load & Shoring Engineering: We engineer custom deck load distribution matrices to protect aircraft cargo decks during heavy machinery transport.
  • Center of Gravity & Ramp Staging: We execute precision load modeling and direct straight-in ramp loading, eliminating remote crane dependency.
Mission Scope 02

Camp & Modular Infrastructure Mobilization

Rapid delivery of modular workforce accommodations, water filtration units, commercial kitchens, and environmental containment bladders to establish self-sustaining site operations.

Key Cargo Handled

  • Prefab Modular Sleeper Complexes
  • Membrane Wastewater Treatment Plants
  • Arctic Fuel Storage Bladders & Piping
  • Satellite & Microwave Telecom Towers

What We Do & How We Do It

  • What We Do: We rapidly transport modular sleeper complexes, water treatment units, commercial kitchens, and arctic fuel containment systems.
  • Volumetric Cube Optimization: We design packing matrices that maximize cabin volume without wasting payload capacity on low-weight modular panels.
  • Master Palletizing & Thermal Protection: We organize containerized master pallets for fast offload turnarounds while maintaining climate-controlled cargo transit.
Mission Scope 03

Specialized Trades FIFO & Crew Rotations

Coordinated passenger charter airbridges tailored to contractor shifts. We keep electricians, pipefitters, welders, and engineers arriving on-schedule without costly airport delays.

Key Services Delivered

  • Direct Hub-to-Strip Passenger Charters
  • Shift Overlap Optimization (Zero Idle Time)
  • Bad-Weather De-icing & IFR Guaranteed Routing
  • Heavy Tool & Luggage Allowance Management

What We Do & How We Do It

  • What We Do: We coordinate reliable passenger charters for electricians, pipefitters, welders, and engineers on tight contractor shift rotations.
  • Digital Manifest & Weight Control: We manage real-time passenger check-in and luggage weight verification to maximize usable payload on every leg.
  • Shift Optimization & Combi Transport: We align hub-to-strip flight corridors directly with site shifts and deploy combi layouts to move specialized tools with crews.
Mission Scope 04

Temporary Airstrips, Ice Pads & Helipads

Before permanent civil infrastructure exists, we survey, design, and certify temporary airstrips, seasonal ice runways, and heavy-lift helicopter staging zones.

Key Engineering Services

  • Soil Density & CBR Bearing Capacity Testing
  • Seasonal Ice Runway Thickness & Thermal Auditing
  • Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) Surveying
  • Portable Runway Lighting & Windsock Setup

What We Do & How We Do It

  • What We Do: We survey, design, and certify temporary airstrips, seasonal ice runways, and heavy rotary staging zones before permanent infrastructure exists.
  • Geotechnical & Subgrade Audits: We conduct on-site Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) and CBR bearing capacity testing to validate runway strength.
  • Standards Compliance & FOD Safety: We align airstrips with aerodrome standards (TP312) and enforce strict compaction and obstacle clearance standards.
End-to-End Flight Safety & Governance

Zero Compromise on Operations & Compliance

We work directly with your team to build a tailored, regulatorily compliant air logistics solution that protects your project on both ends across any terrain or mission.

Collaborative Planning & Compliance

We partner directly with your team to develop a custom air logistics strategy that guarantees full regulatory compliance with Transport Canada, IATA DGR, and local aviation authorities.

End-to-End Client Protection

Your project is protected at both origin and destination. We mitigate risk across any terrain, unpaved strip, or mission requirement so your cargo and crews arrive safely.

24/7 Flight Following & Support

Our 24/7 flight operations center tracks live aircraft GPS telemetry, weather diversions, and runway conditions around the clock with continuous charter support.

On-Site Physical Supervision

When required, our flight operations specialists provide a physical presence directly on site to supervise cargo loading, ramp staging, and flight execution in person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Airlift FAQ

Common questions regarding aircraft capabilities, runway requirements, and cargo engineering.

  • STOL Aircraft: Operational on runways as short as 1,500 ft (457 m).
  • Large Cargo Freighters: Typically require a minimum of 5,000 ft (1,524 m).
  • No Existing Runway? We can evaluate terrain for a new strip or build a seasonal ice runway on nearby water.

Note: Exact length requirements depend on payload, elevation, and runway surface conditions.

Payload capacity depends on the aircraft model, elevation, and fuel requirements:

  • Exploration & Drill Support (Light/Intermediate): Up to 2,000 lbs (907 kg) for camp logistics and core drill moves.
  • Heavy Lift: Up to 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg) for machinery, camp modules, and bulk fuel transport.
  • Super Heavy Lift: Up to 25,000 lbs (11,340 kg) for specialized construction and outsized equipment.

Heavy and super heavy lift assets have limited availability across North America. Contact our team early in your project planning to secure mobilization dates.

Our engineering team analyzes 3D CAD dimensions of the equipment. For items exceeding fixed-wing cabin height/width (such as large excavator cabs or transmission components), we either plan modular sub-assembly disassembly or deploy heavy rotary-wing sling operations for direct point-to-point aerial placement.
Yes. All our cargo operations are fully compliant with Transport Canada and IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). We coordinate proper packaging, Class 1 to 9 documentation, segregation matrices, and specialized cargo aircraft-only (CAO) flight permits for bulk fuels, explosives, and industrial chemicals.
Mobilize Your Remote Project

Need to move heavy equipment or workforce to site?

Speak with our air logistics engineers to evaluate your cargo specs, runway requirements, and schedule the most cost-effective heavy-lift solution.

Request a Cargo Charter Speak with our team

Or email our operations desk: info@cirrusintelligence.ca