Often times, a fly system is not available for use for flying lighting or audio equipment. Some venues, such as WPI's Alden Hall, do not have any permanent provisions for lighting equipment in the house. Thus, it becomes desirable to be able to fly a lighting truss in front of the proscenium by some portable means. Several companies produce portable lifts that can be raised and lowered by manual, pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric means. One such lift is shown in figure 4.7 .
Lifts have a set of feet that are adjusted to give stability to the structure.
These feet typically immobilize the lift, as well as increase the footprint to reduce the chances of tipping. Once the feet are in position, the lift is typically raised enough for the load to be placed on it. Once loaded, they can be raised to the appropriate height for the task. A Genie Industries SuperTower being used to hold lighting truss. Usually lifts have a set of forks, akin to a forklift, for bearing a load.