The service life of the "Zero-G" parabolic aircraft came to an end with a spectacular hoist over the fence at Cologne-Bonn Airport. The heavy load experts from Riga Mainz hoisted the 82-tonne Airbus A-300 from the airport's apron using a Liebherr LR 1600/2 crawler crane and a sophisticated combination of attachment equipment. The aircraft will now become a museum exhibit on show to the general public.
Both the specifications for the crane job at the airport, such as its limited set-up height, and the requirements for attaching the sensitive load were very stringent. In fact there are only three attachment points on the entire aircraft with the required load capacity – both main sets of landing gear and an area at the front of the Airbus' fuselage.
The attachment equipment weighed a total of 19 tonnes and included two cross beams and three load spreaders developed by Riga Mainz. A remote controlled chain hoist was used to adjust the crane hook precisely over the overall centre of gravity, even when it was loaded. This made it possible to adjust the required angle of the aircraft to the horizontal to generate no upthrust in the event of wind and inflows from the front. This solution satisfied a major requirement specified by the customer.
"Zero-G" required around one hour for its last "flight" over the airport security fence. The Airbus, which measures around 54 metres in length, was turned almost imperceptibly slowly into its final position. The LR 1600/2 with its curious load then covered a distance of around 20 metres on a specially laid gravel bed.
Placing the future museum exhibit on three foundation points proved to be something of a long-winded procedure. Minor corrections had to be made to the construction before the crane driver Markus Knabe was able to position his unusual load with millimetre precision. Airport manager Michael Garvens did not hold back with his praise after the job had been successfully completed: "Absolute precision work and a great result."
You might also be interested in
2026/09/17
Press releases
Expansion in the taxi crane segment: Henneberger acquires Liebherr LTM 1100-5.3
The crane and logistics company Henneberger Schwerlast e.K. has acquired a Liebherr mobile crane LTM 1100-5.3. The ability to carry up to 16.9 tonnes of counterweight on public roads and the vehicle’s narrow width of just 2.55 metres were the decisive factors in the purchase.
2026/09/16
Press releases
ESB invests in the future with a new LTM 1055-3.3 and the next generation at the helm
ESB Kranverleih Transport u. Hebetechnik GmbH is has taken another step in the modernise of its fleet with the acquisition of a new LTM 1055-3.3 featuring LICCON3 control. At the same time, the family-run company is also positioning itself for the future in terms of personnel: with Larissa Maurer, the third generation has been represented in the management since the start of the year.
2026/09/15
Press releases
At bauma CONEXPO INDIA 2026, taking place from 15 to 18 September, the Liebherr Group presents engineering excellence through a broad portfolio of machines and technologies. The products at outdoor booth E01 address construction, quarrying, recycling, infrastructure, and industrial applications for the Indian market. Visitors to the 792 m² outdoor booth can explore exhibits from five product segments.