Assembly flights Mitterhausalm I
Spectacular construction progress
Installation flights Mitterhausalm I
The chairs of the previous 4-seater Sonneck chairlift have recently been dismantled – after more than 25 years and millions of safe trips up the mountain, the lift has reached the end of its service life.
Since it went into operation in 1998, the Sonneck lift has been an important part of the 4-mountain ski area – providing countless hours of sporting, sunny and enjoyable experiences on the Planai.
The dismantling of the chairs is now making room for something new: the upcoming 8-seater chairlift will offer greater capacity, more comfort and shorter travel times from winter 2025/26 onwards. Seat heating, weather protection hoods and modern technology are setting new standards for the skiing experience on the Planai.
We will keep you up to date on the next steps in the construction diary – the countdown to the ground-breaking ceremony is on!
Assembly using helicopters
Two powerful helicopters were used for transport: the Super Puma and the P13. Working in precise coordination, they lifted load after load every minute, flew along the future route and placed the support components on the prepared foundations with millimetre precision. At each location, a well-coordinated team of fitters was waiting to immediately align, fix and bolt the components in place.
Two work crews of eight people each worked in parallel along the route – perfectly coordinated by radio with the pilots and the operations management. This work required the utmost concentration, absolute precision and perfect teamwork: When flying supports, speed, safety and accuracy must go hand in hand.
With the new 8-seater chairlift, our guests will in future be transported comfortably from the Hauser Kaibling – Planai ski area connection to the Planai. The opening is planned for December 2025 – another milestone that will make our ski area even more comfortable and efficient.
Facts about support flights:
- Helicopters: Super Puma and P13
- Airline: Heli Austria
- Team on site: 2 work crews with a total of 16 people
- Logistics: Transport of supports from the ‘Talstation Mitterhausalm II’ departure point to the respective locations
- Assembly: Supports 2–9 and 14 support roller batteries
- Heaviest part: 3,463.7 kilograms
- Additional helping hands: Doppelmayr employees, Heli Austria flight assistants, Planai employees, pilots, tanker trucks, photographer and the operations manager of the new cable car
