15.07.2008

Golfing scissors

UK based aerial lift company, Hy-Acc Services of Newark, Nottingham has designed and manufactured a specialist buggy mounted scissor lift for filming on the European Golf Tour.

Two of the specialist camera platforms, or Roving Aerial Towers - RATs for short - were ordered by a major broadcasting company for filming form the edge of the greens and entered service on this year’s tour.
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The Roving Aerial Tower in retracted position

The platforms, are designed to enable the camera to operate “inside the ropes” or gain a vantage point over the heads of spectators at all major golf events. Keeping up with the leader or quickly moving to another part of the course where a player may be making a move on the leader board.

Unlike the fixed towers normally used near the greens, the RATs can quickly relocate should they get in the way of play. The fully extended platform height is just under 2.5 metres, providing a 3.5 metre camera height.
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The RAT in rased position with stabilising outriggers set, note the access ladder

The circular guardrails have a dip in the top rail to ensure that the camera has an uninterrupted view, the guardrails also revolve on the circular platform to catch play from all angles. The lifts are mounted to Toro buggies and travel with the tour, returning to Hy-Acc for an annual service and inspection, with Hy-Acc making a six month site visit – it’s a hard life but someone has to do it – to carry out the six month LOLER inspection.

The lifts were used earlier this year exclusively to film the television commercial for KitKat, featuring Colin Montgomery and Ian Woosenam.

Hy-Acc Services was founded 15 years ago by Steve Walsh, following 20 years in platform manufacturing with Acklift Powered Access. It specialises in the powered access industry providing service, inspection, repair, total refurbishments and special manufacturing projects such as the RATs.