Booms, Boards and Big Gigs: Lee’s Telehandler Tune-Up with Tim

As festival season kicks into gear, there’s no time for rusty skills—especially when you’re working with serious kit like a J3 Telehandler. Just ask Lee Khassal from Live Nation, who recently took a break from gig logistics to sharpen up his telehandler know-how with Wight Training Services.

Lee, who works on shows and events across the country with Live Nation—the global leader in live entertainment—was back on the Isle of Wight, this time not for the music, but for a bit of machine mastery. The venue? The Isle of Wight Festival site itself. The instructor? None other than Tim Benton, our very own island-based training pro with over 15 years of FLT and plant training under his belt.

The Experienced J3 Telehandler course is built for operators like Lee—folks who’ve already clocked plenty of time behind the wheel, but need to stay current with best practices, safety regs and hands-on assessments. It covers everything from the latest legal requirements to machine stability, safe loading, hydraulic checks, and handling rough terrain with booms over 9 metres.

With a SANY telehandler on site, Lee got to grips with both the theory and practical elements, topping up his skills and ticking off compliance in one go. The course included a thorough refresher, an up-to-date theory test, and a practical assessment to make sure every box was ticked before heading back out to build the next big stage.

“Having real-world training on the equipment you use every day is key,” says Tim. “And it’s always a bonus when we’re doing it on such a picturesque site—though we’re not here for the backstage passes!”