Production analysis of helicopter logging in West Virginia: A preliminary case study

In this study helicopter logging using a Boeing Vertol 107 in an approximately 70-year-old stand in West Virginia was examined. The average butt diameter and length of extracted logs were 16 inches (41 cm) and 14.3 feet (4.4 m) with an average volume of 99 board feet (BF) (Doyle scale) (0.45 m3) per log. Cycle time for the helicopter averaged 3.29 minutes and average turn payload was 260.6 BF (3,956 lb) (1.2 m3, 1796 Kg) with an average payload utilization of 60 percent. Hourly production rate was 5.02 thousand board feet in Doyle scale (MBF) (23.04 m3) with a unit cost of $294.8/MBF ($64.2/m3). Results indicate that helicopter logging was about 2.8 and 1.5 times more productive but about 6 and 11 times more expensive than cable and grapple skidders in West Virginia. If road building and best management practices implementation costs, as well as environmental concerns are considered, helicopter extraction could be competitive with the two commonly used conventional ground-based methods of cable and grapple skidders in this region.