[RRLedford]

Tension elements are the best approach for elevating, being lightest and strongest. Yes, you still need an arm to hook cable onto horizontal bar, but 1000 lb kevlar is light, and bar can be reached with the arc of a single arm rotation. Multiple long stroke air cylinders spreading pulleys apart in a compound array can give rapid cable tensioning lift to the required height, especially if you don't deplete your air reserves doing a pneumatic kicker.

-RRLedford