Basic Cable Yarding and
Helicopter Logging Workshop

Who should attend?

Aimed at logging contractors (existing or prospective) and company, state and federal employees who are interested in learning about either cable logging or helicopter logging.

Registration:

To register online, please click here. Forest Service employees do not need to pay the registration fee in advance. However, they will need to reserve their own room at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center.

Forest Service employees please contact Rich Aubuchon for more information.

Location and Lodging:

The short course is held at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center, a full-service residential conference center on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. Blacksburg is located on U.S. Route 460 just off Interstate 81 (exit 118), 40 miles southwest of Roanoke and 50 miles east of the south exit of the West Virginia Turnpike. The Virginia Tech campus lies between the U.S. 460 bypass and Blacksburg's Main Street (U.S. 460 Business). The hotel is located in downtown Blacksburg two blocks off Main Street at the corner of College Avenue and Otey Street. Parking per-mits for guests are available at the lodging desk.

Please call (540) 231-5156 or toll free (877) 200-3360. Be sure to mention the name of the workshop when making reservations. Costs for lodging and meals, other than those described as part of the program, are the responsibility of the participant. Lodging cost are $54 per night - which is the government per diem rate. This rate will be in effect until March 1, 2004.

Cable Yarding

This workshop includes approximately nine hours of lectures, 3 hours of LoggerPC instruction and five hours at the Fishburn Forest operating the Bitterroot Yarder System. The lectures start with an overview of cable logging systems and continue with various topics that aim to make cable logging operations more efficient. These include planning, machinery selection, and payload optimization. Rigging configurations are demonstrated and operational issues such as machinery selection and landing layout are discussed. Techniques on how to measure efficiency and implement changes are also covered, as well as accurate costing of operations and safety issues. Each participant will be taught how to use LoggerPC for planning cable operations using the computers in the Forestry Dept computer lab. Each participant will also be expected to participant in setting up and operating the yarder – including setting chokers and changing rigging configurations.

CFE Credits:

This short course qualifies for 14 Category 1 Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) credits as approved by the Society of American Foresters Continuing Education Program.

Presenters:

Rien Visser, Assistant Professor
228 Cheatham Hall, 0324
Dept of Forestry, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg VA 24061
Phone: 540-231-6924; E-mail: rvisser@vt.edu

Hank Sloan, Forest Engineer,
USDA Forest Service, (Retired)
Wiles Mensch Consulting
(703) 391-7600; E-mail: wsloan@fs.fed.us

Workshop Schedule:

Monday, March 22

8:30 Registration
9:00 Overview, video and slide show
10:00 Types of cable yarders
10:30 Break
10:45 Planning a cable operation
11:45 Payload calculations
12:30 Lunch
1:30 Machinery selection
2:15 Landing layout
3:00 Coffee Break
3:30 Optimizing extraction efficiency
4:30 Rigging configurations (model yarder)
6:30 Dinner – Donaldson Brown

Tuesday, March 23

8:00 Accurately costing an operation
9:00 LoggerPC
10:00 Coffee Break
10:15 LoggerPC
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Fishburn Forest – Bitterroot Yarder (set up and operate the yarder)
4:30 Finish!

Helicopter Yarding

The workshop includes approximately nine hours of lectures and 3 hours of Helipace and LogCost hands-on instruction. If there is an operation nearby there will be an optional five-hour visit to an operating helicopter logging site. The lectures will begin with an introduction to helicopter yarding and focus on the operational factors and environmental impacts. Costing packages will also be covered to provide a means to evaluate helicopter yarding plans and appraise the yarding system. At the end of the session successful participants will be able to apply the tools and concepts to make helicopter yarding more economically feasible.

CFE Credits:

This short course qualifies for 12 Category 1 Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) credits as approved by the Society of American Foresters Continuing Education Program.

Presenters:

Jim Sherar, Forest Engineer
USDA Forest Service, (Retired)
Phone: 828-778-4244; E-mail: jrs4trees@prodigy.net

Andy Horcher, Logging Systems Specialists
USDA Forest Service
228 Cheatham Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Phone: 540-231-1865; E-mail: ahorcher@fs.fed.us

Workshop Schedule:

Wednesday, March 24

8:30 Topic introduction and Video
9:30 Helicopters and Flight Factors
10:30 Break
10:45 Determining Payloads
11:30 Lunch
12:30 Cutting Unit Feasibility
1:30 Log Landings
2:30 Service Landings
3:30 Operational Variations/Case Studies
4:30 Q & A

Thursday, March 25

8:00 System Appraisal Methods
9:00 Appraisal Exercises
11:00 Exercise Review – Q & A
11:45 Lunch
12:45 Helicopter Operation Field Visit (Optional)
6:00 Finish!