Baco Skyline Cable Crane Machine Machine Information Summary

• Tree length logs to the roadside.

• The machine can operate in clear-cut, selection cut, overstory removal, salvage logging, partial cut and commercial thinning.
• The machine can manage slopes of 40-45 degrees .
• Operates better in concave than convex shape physical terrain.
• It has a lateral yarding capability of 50 m.
• It can operate in erodible and unstable soil that cannot stand any disturbances.
• Yarding is possible even in extremely long steep slopes either uphill or downhill.

• Mechanical availability: 80 - 90 %
• Machine utilization : 50 - 70 % (assumed, data not available)
• Machine production : 3.6 m^3 - 7.1 m^3/PMH @ distance 1200 m. & 0.6 m3/stem (Indian Forester, 1977)

• Machine Purchase : Rs. 300,000 (Indian Forester, 1977) ($ 20,000),
• $/pmh (rental rate) : Rs. 130.41 (Indian Forester, 1977) ($ 8.694)
• $/m3 (Unit costs) : Rs. 27.63 ( Indian Forester, 1977) ($ 1.842)
• Repair and Maintenance 100 % 0f Depreciation: Rs. 37.33/pmh, (Indian Forester). ($ 2.849/pmh)

• 1 skilled operator : Rs 11.20/pmh ($0.75/pmh) Indian Forester, 1977
• 1 operator's assistant:
• 4 skilled labourers: Rs. 60/pmh ($ 0.373/pmh), Indian Forester, 1977
• Total wages ($/pmh) : Rs. 16.80/pmh ($ 1,12/pmh), Indian Forester, 1977

The machine operates on a 50 HP diesel engine and there may be oil spill while refueling the machine and transporting them to the site by the people on their backpack. However, the harvesting in a steep terrain through cable crane is expected to have minimal impacts on soil, watershed, streams, advance regeneration, wildlife and fish, since the logs are yarded without touching the ground and hence no soil disturbances.

• Prior to machine operation, manual felling of trees should precede and should have adequate number of timber t the stump site to be yarded, otherwise machine will remain idle during that period and as a result, the hauling trucks will have to wait for the woods to come to the landing site on the road.
• Occasional scaring of residual standing trees may take place while yarding the logs.
• There is minimum damage done to the natural regeneration since the logs are yarded above the ground.
• Since the logs and tops are taken out from the stump site for firewood and fodder, the site is left clean for planting and other site preparation.