Here's a Job That Takes Big Balls

[khryslerkid]

 

[Ironbuilt]

That better pay good!!!

 

[Cranky]

Oh man, I knew within a couple of minutes what was about to happen! Only thing different was no 'bulb' were attached to the high lines. There's a high line tower behind my place and so far there's been two times that a chopper was hovering doing something like that....

 

[Ironbuilt]

Oh man, I knew within a couple of minutes what was about to happen! Only thing different was no 'bulb' were attached to the high lines. There's a high line tower behind my place and so far there's been two times that a chopper was hovering doing something like that....

Better them than me!!!

 

[kiwigtx]

Not too bad....I assume the lines were dead, as the guy didn't use a degaussing stick before contact.

 

[khryslerkid]

Not too bad....I assume the lines were dead, as the guy didn't use a degaussing stick before contact.

I'm not sure how that works. The chopper isn't grounded. I've seen videos of lineman with bolts of electric making contact with them and it didn't seem to faze them.

I'm wondering about the teather that he clipped on the line before he started installing the ball. You wouldn't think that's a good idea for the safety of the chopper.

 

[kiwigtx]

You wouldn't think that's a good idea for the safety of the chopper.

Yep...I thought that also....don't want that Chopper disappearing do we????

 

[khryslerkid]

Looks like a quick release. Also probably a neutral line that they use if there is such a thing on those power lines.

 

[64BEL]

I was surprised he didn't have any kind of tether on that screw gun. I would have dropped it for sure. LOL

 

[BeepBeepRR]

They energize the helicopter with the line voltage and unless some freak of nature causes one of them to ground out all is safe..

 

[BeepBeepRR]

I was surprised he didn't have any kind of tether on that screw gun. I would have dropped it for sure. LOL

Hell yea great Dewalt commercial in the making. Dropped my drill from 200 feet and it still works.. lol..

 

[plymouth67]

I have seen these guys doing line work from a chopper around here....I was on my way home from work and they were doing it right next to the highway. The lines aren't that high up but, no way to get a truck to them so they did it from the chopper....I about **** when I saw them!!!

 

[khryslerkid]

Hell yea great Dewalt commercial in the making. Dropped my drill from 200 feet and it still works.. lol..

The replies from that video are mostly about the drill not being tethered. I think the pilot deserves all the credit.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

The replies from that video are mostly about the drill not being tethered. I think the pilot deserves all the credit.

Yes that takes some awesome skill and control. I do agree.

 

[NJRR]

Def need a pilot with a steady hand, right Ghost?
@Ghostrider 67

 

[Lionized]

The "wand" is at the technicians feet. You can see the arcs as the pilot approaches the line. The technician then attaches his tether.

Here you can certainly see the wand in play:



Big balls indeed.

 

[moparwacko]

Meh, so easy a caveman could do it.
First video is installing marker balls on a static line, so no arc.
Last video looks to be either 500 or 765kv pair setting a wire walker down - Inspection only looking for strand damage from lightning. Those guys are a special kind of nuts. They are always the skinny/wiry little guys with the crazy eyes.
Yeah Ironbuilt, it does pay well.
Reference Journeyman Lineman rate, then generally X2 + for chopper experience. Not including the chopper or pilot.

 

[BB BELLA]

Farm boy relative worked for Ont. hydro in the 70's,He would volunteer to go to BC and repair/inspect tower insulators from a chopper, he was known as the flying squirrell. Great pay so he drove mopars,68/72 runners!
I did skyrise window cleaning in toronto, commerce court building which as I recall was 60 stories, use to shake a wad of suds off the brush and see how many blocks it would travel before surprising someone!

 

[Beekeeper]

I work for the Tennessee Valley Authority and
we use the chopper for installing the road and line crossing marker balls,line inspections and infrared camera inspections.Im always happy when I get paid to ride the chopper with the side door open.

 

[khryslerkid]

Same dude. Pilot is quite busy with the controls. That's some serious concentration!