Heavy construction materials such as steel beams are also raised in this fashion. To install a high television tower a helicopter is often used. Transportation by helicopter is becoming increasingly popular. Helibuses serve as taxis and as sight-seeing vehicles. Many industrial corporations employ them to fly their personnel and customers from place to place.
Petroleum companies use egg beaters as commuter vehicles.
One such company transports workers to and from off shore oil-drilling rigs situated 50 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. Several police departments have found helicopters particularly effective in spotting and helping to eliminate traffic jams. Police also use them for patrol duty and to track down criminals. Helicopters are important to the United States Forest Service in combating forest fires. The choppers, however, do not serve merely as vehicles to bring fire fighters to the scene.