Allied Power Products Inc. of Beaverton, Ore., is offering a power hoist for aerostats that can manage ascents and descents by speeds of 115 feet per minute. The Columbia Model EHS-5-43D is able to handle 4,400 feet of one-half inch diameter fiber optic cable and boasts as much as 5,500 pounds of single line pull capacity.
The unit is powered by a 40 horsepower diesel generator. Other attributes include variable speed payout and recovery by joystick controls, a digital measurement package with line speed, distance and tension readouts and programmable alarms that make operation easier and increases operator safety.