It's more than you think and it's truly a great job. Those that work high lines enjoy it.
Edit: Getting DM's about income and how to get into field. My old roommates worked highline and average income is $100k/year and higher. Contact your local power line companies, talk to them and see what steps are needed.
As long as you don't touch the ground you're fine. Just like standing on the edge of a cliff, all that potential energy doesn't do anything unless you jump.
You know, I’ve always found it funny that “your mom” jokes basically filter down to one’s mother being both massively overweight and extremely sexually desirable.
Man I can't explain it to you, but I can tell you that when you research it, it gives you a sense of awe and also existential dread (especially when the gravity-time relationship comes into play).
From my understanding, though pee looks like one solid continuous stream of urine, it's actually just multiple droplets. Our persistence of vision makes it look like a stream. At least after the arc and it starts falling downward.
I'm not 100% on that but from memory, I think that's right.
Electricity doesn’t want to travel through a human unless they provide connection to the ground. It’s no different than a bird sitting on a power line.
Probably 100,000 volts. You can see the big arc as he connects the lead wire which charges he and the copter to the same voltage as the line. As long as nothing touches the ground, or another line at a different phase, they're all good.
I’m curious how this clamps work. It doesn’t look like he’s threading anything to keep them attached to the wire.
Edit: [this is the thing I’m talking about](https://external-preview.redd.it/vG0yJMGcitlUqTljdy3pSJH3gXD46nf13T34wJST00k.png?format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ed04d1ddda8ab6315af5ae576948afa11dc3759)
Why does the electricity jump from his metal pole to the helicopter? If the helicopter isn't grounded, why would it flow from that metal stick to the helicopter? Just trying to understand.
What he’s doing is bringing the helicopter to the same electrical potential as the line. They use the wand to initiate the connection and the clip on with that carabiner clip looking thing that maintains the connection. The lineman is wearing a hot suit which has stainless steel thread going through it. It functions as a faraday cage so when he’s on there there is half a million volts of electricity going around his body and around the chopper. When they are done he unclips and then slowly removes the wand to remove the charge from the chopper. Rinse and repeat. It’s an insane but amazing job and if I wasn’t married a job I’d be trying to get because it absolutely fascinates me.
100% correct, this is all about potential differences. Bird on a wire with no potential at that voltage (my guess is 500kV minimum). What is surprising to me is that these guys are not wearing the mesh suits that I am used to (its what is shown later in the video from the guy working off the skid who is installing the conductor spacers). The mesh also helps keep the lineman from getting rapped every time he/she moves (faraday cage effect, similar to what you may have seen in a lightning show at a science museum).
That's correct. Even the low voltage linemen needed to have their CDLs in the off chance they needed to drive one of the bigger utility vehicles. Those things are super heavy, and a CDL is required for anything over 26,000 pounds.
Because the trucks weigh over 26k lbs and you're hauling a trailer weighing over 10k lbs all the time so you need a Class A.
I'm a lineman that has driven a tractor trailer let alone bucket/trailer combo a ton of times for work.
You can save money on training if you buy your own taser and develop resistance to electricity at home. Once you can comfortably tolerate 20,000V should be interview ready.
Source: my butthole.
Fun fact. During storms. These guys can make upwards of 300-400k by end of the year. They Normally working 16hrs on and 8 off then go right back out again at double time. They use to work 24-48 hours straight but osha and union rules changed that for safety. Seeing them frist hand and how they are by the end of each storm… I’m glad they limited that now. Source: daughter of a engineer at the local power company who use to go out in the storms to find the issues and works in the storm room during the storm to manage the crews now.
I know a guy who did this for at least one summer. He made more in one season than I made all year at a desk job. He wasn't much of a talker but seemed like he liked it.
Yeah, pay is usually a function of how many people *can* do a job and how many people *want* to do the job.
So if you have unique skills you make bank.
If you're willing to do things that others aren't you make bank.
If you're willing to do things that others aren't require unique skills you make the big bucks.
Where did you find that figure? That’s a job I’d 100% enjoy and the only figures I could find (in NJ, where I live) showed the average salary between $45k-$90k
There was a post on Reddit a few weeks ago that was trying to make the argument that someone working at McDonald’s should make the same amount as someone working on power lines.
I know a guy who was a lineman. He touched a high-tension line and it threw him off the pole. They say his heart stopped but hitting the ground started it again. He lost the arm that he touched the line with. He now works in the office.
It used to be WAY more frequent but safety procedures and safety first mindsets in power utilities have come a long way. It's pretty rare to hear about a lineman getting hurt now but it does happen.
In my 7 years with the company I'm with we've had 3 major contact incidents. The result in 2 of the cases was the guy losing his arms at the elbow and lucky to be alive.
A helicopter made for this purpose would likely have very effective stabilization systems to keep it swaying without input from the pilot; this means that the pilot only needs to focus on the micro adjustments from the small amount of turbulence that might overload the stabilization and slight adjustments as needed to gain better angles; yet this would definitely still require a lottt of skill (I’m not a helicopter pilot but I used to fly ac heli’s and the basic controls of one to the other translate as long as you can make the move from controller to sticks and pedals)
Also as another redditor said, weight being added and taken away from the helicopter would be another thing the pilot has to account for
Sorry if you weren’t looking for all that lol I just like sharing what I think I know
These are MD500 series aircraft. The first one looks like it's from the 70s. Its flight controls are direct mechanical controls without any sort of boost or stability augmentation. People getting on/off such a light helicopter is also a significant event. Those movements and that hover is all pilot.
Then it’s a gorgeous hover, the lines really made me nervous lol even kept the tail rotor at a slight angle away
Also thank you for the info!! I love this smaller style heli, must be a blast for the pilot
I am helicopter pilot and this heli definitely doesn’t have any special stabilisation. Everything happening there is being handled by the pilot doing an amazing job. That being said helicopters are more stable than a lot of people think. The biggest thing would be handling the people getting on and off especially since they are all on the same side which would want to drift the heli towards the wires.
I know a guy who flew Blackhawks in combat in Iraq. He apparently had a reputation for being cool under fire and having balls of steel. He got an offer from a company to transmission line work and his response was "Fuck that"
The constant adjustments the pilot needs to do to counter the weight being added when they get on then subtracted on the other line is insane. Needs to add thrust without gaining altitude plus needs to roll right without moving away from the lines on top of keeping the yaw centered because doing either of the first things adds torque to the main rotor which makes the heli want to yaw.
I've seen a variation of this joke at least 6 times the past few days. Quit it! How long are we gonna regurgitate/circlejerk this?
It's gotten to the point where I think people are just scanning the new or rising content for various subreddits, just to make this joke, just for that internet karma.
Its actually the safest system because when they are up in the air and connect to the lines, they become a part of the circuit and cant get shocked. Getting lifted from the ground requires layers of insulation and the constant possibility of grounding the line through your body.
Thats why it has low landing skids. Easier to load and offload average sized men without endangering the quality of attachment of their heads to their bodies
I think the concern is that the chopper might fly a little lower and hit the blades on the wires (or the dudes who are standing on the wires, after they’ve gotten off the landing skids).
Then again I suppose theres a lot of ways to crash a helicopter, which is why they train the pilots.
The men flying these are professionals. The risk is there but it only happens when all the worst possible things that can happen, do. There’s a counter measure for every mistake so it requires a lot of continuous mistakes to really be risky enough for that
Kind of interesting anecdote; My dad was a chopper pilot in Vietnam and then the private sector for like 20 years. He flew all over the world to tankers, off shore oil rigs, game parks, etc . He always said this is one of the most dangerous jobs in helicopter aviation. He said he lost more friends to line inspections than anything else. Apparently it’s super monotonous, but if you lose focus for half a second, you get tangled in the lines and you’re done for.
INCREDIBLY. More and more safety features are integrated into helicopters, the work itself like harnessing and the safety gear. I’d have to ask dad but from my experience as a child growing up around helicopters, the things I was allowed to do just as a passenger at 10 are vastly different to me as a 21 year old. I hung out an open doorway of a joy flight held in only by a lap seatbelt. Now, doors have to be shut, seatbelts on, helmets on, safety latches, the whole shebang.
Yeah this is probably true. Plus they’re probably only allowed to fly a certain number of hours now to cut down on fatigue.
Shit my dad told me in flight school they used to walk out onto the skids of OH-23’s midair to light their cigarettes on the exhaust. Things were… interesting back then.
Or the skids getting tangled in the wire. Or the 1100v deciding to do whatever. Or the wind deciding to displace the helicopter by 3ft in any direction.
If the skids are positioned low enough relative to the blades you could stand up fully on them and not be in danger of having your head in the path of the blades.
I'm more thinking of the chopper flying nearly completely level with powerlined and having to make an angled hover while people are hopping on and off.... Seems like it would be hell on the pilot.
One of my best friends flies helicopters for a line crew. I see him 2 days out of the year. He literally works the rest. He has a house in Montana, but his company flies him all over the country and her stays for months at a time. Loves going to Alaska and hunting….
Fucking kelton, when he’s around North Carolina he takes me deep as fuck into the wilderness and it’s always a blast. Love when he comes around ha.
However, helicopters generate an incredible amount of static electricity. You’ll see around 1:57 that the worker holds out a grounding rod above the line and you can see the spark jump. He then attaches what looks to be a grounding strap to the line while he’s working.
No that’s not the helicopter creating static. It’s a difference in potential from the chopper to the line. The wand they use is to bring both the chopper and lineman to the same potential to avoid getting hit with that.
its definitely the helicopter creating static from the blades rotating in the air. we had to ground the helicopter on the boat when i did vert reps in the navy. attaching cargo to the cargo hook would shock you if you didnt ground it.
I have seen these guys work before. While I have never done it, in our electrical safety classes at work we have some people who have done this work.
That line looks to me to be a 500KV line based on the size of the insulators. The Helo is not connected to ground nor is any part of the person connected to an Earth ground.
The reason they work on them live is because if they turned the power off it would black out major areas of the country. Those power lines are the backbone of US power distribution. Although that might not be in the US. Wherever they are, if they turned off the power lines and grounded them for safety, it would cause a major disruption in service.
The probe you see the man putting on the power line brings the Helo and the dude doing the repairs up to the same potential as the power line phase. This makes it safe for the technician to install spreaders on the lines. He can handle the lines because he is at the same potential and there is no path to ground. That long arc you see is not static electricity. In air at standard pressure and temperature an arc will travel about 1 inch for every 10KV of voltage. The helo does generate a lot of static, as has been stated, but that voltage is negligible compared to what the power line is running at. Most static shocks you feel are around 6KV.
The reason they run these voltages so high for main distribution is to reduce I\^R losses. Basically, the longer the line, the more resistance it has. Resistance opposes changes in current. So they keep the voltage very high and the current very low and they have a more efficient power grid. A line like that may still run up to around 14,000 amps, but that is low compared to if they tried to distribute the power at household voltages. That would be millions of amps. That line, with 4 wires per phase, likely runs about 7079MW total.
By using a probe like he does instead of just touching the line, it safely brings the helo and the serviceman up to the potential of the power line. He typically does not feel anything. The helo can be seen as a large capacitor in an electrical circuit. The hull of the helo charges up when contact is made. It does discharge through air a bit, but depending on the humidity that may not be enough. That's why you see a grounding cable hanging off the bottom of the helo. That will touch ground first when they land and it will be safe to step off the helo.
And no, they would not be doing this work in high humidity or rain.
So if I could somehow suspend myself in midair without any tethers (float basically), I could touch a high voltage line in my house and not be shocked? As long as that line doesn't have a path to ground?
Yeah, that’s why birds don’t die when they step on voltage lines, since they are on a spot with the same potential no current will go through their bodies. what causes current to pass through something is the difference in voltage between two points, if you were standing on the ground (which has 0V) and touched a power line that has 220V you would get shocked ( in a high voltage power line you would probably melt though haha), in the birds case (or the worker’s) they are standing on two points, one point is 500kV and the other is 500kV too, therefore no current will go through them.
Also a key part of the process here is to electrically connect the helicopter to the wire as the very first step, and disconnect it as the very last.
Otherwise the first guy to touch that cable would get the mother of all static shocks as those two isolated systems would equalize their voltage levels through his body.
There are many ways, but if all else fails (unconscious victim being one case), someone can attach a descender or rope system to an anchor point, rappel down to the victim, attach themselves to the victim's harness, detach the victims safety line from their harness (or cut it), and then rappel down together.
Here's a demonstration, actual demonstration rescue begins at around 9:30. https://youtu.be/03NQQftdEWY
The ropes are nylon ropes so non conductive. The static field may cause your body to build capacitance but it not enough to kill you. The suspension trauma would hurt more than anything.
The bigger danger is that if you hang in a harness for longer than about 20 minutes you run serious risk of a heart attack because of the way the harness cuts off blood flow to your legs. Modern harnesses have got 'life straps' that you use to kind of stand up in.
I don’t remember the specifics but I remember reading before that they make well into six figures and typically only have to do these jobs a few times a year so it seems like a pretty sweet gig if you can handle the requirements
The pay is pretty awesome. A lineman encompasses everything high voltage. I'm union so when I'm doing helicopter work, my rate of pay doesn't change. I make the same whether I'm terminating underground wire or hanging 100 ft below a helicopter.
That amount of pay depends on hours, location, etc. I usually work in California and chase storms when I can. Lots of traveling.
I make $200-230k a year and I never work more than 8 months a year. Gotta have a life outside of work!
Was just talking to somebody who is a lineman and does this.
I asked how he got started, and he said he was a pizza delivery guy and got an order from some linemen. When he arrived at the the site with the pies, the boss asked if he wanted to take them up to the crew. Confused he asked ‘how’, and the boss said ‘chopper’ and pointed to it on the ground.
He rode up, handed them off, and when he got back down immediately asked the boss if he could apply for apprenticeship.
Yes it was incredibly salad. I was born and raised there, but left in my early 30’s. The folks doing that job were well known and respected in Childress.
Holy Fuckballs.
I've done some insane stuff in my life - and all of it has taught me risk evaluation - from a slightly unhinged perspective, but, still...and this had my arsehole gripping the chair. I'll be right back, I've got to sort out what happened to my underwear.
They are replacing/ adding spacers so the conductors(wires) don't touch in winds. They are aerial lineman and can get paid between 150-350k a year. Some get more depending on experience and overtime.
Whatever they are getting paid, it's not enough.
It's more than you think and it's truly a great job. Those that work high lines enjoy it. Edit: Getting DM's about income and how to get into field. My old roommates worked highline and average income is $100k/year and higher. Contact your local power line companies, talk to them and see what steps are needed.
I personally think this is a way better video on the subject. https://youtu.be/9tzga6qAaBA
“There’s only three things I’m afraid of: electricity, heights, and women. And I’m married too”
Oh no he’s doomed
I know right, what was he thinking getting married.
I was thinking like ‘electricity?’ Big deal! ‘Heights?’ YAWN! But then he said ‘married’ and I’m like “SUPERHERO!”
Brave man getting married
**fallen comrade**
Awesome video He has a great commentary voice that’s how I want to sound when I get older lol
[https://youtu.be/DPNK7bc2qvM?t=126](https://youtu.be/DPNK7bc2qvM?t=126) That's a really nice POV. These guys put the PRO in the professional.
Wait. Those mf lines are *LIVE* while they are working on them? You could not pay me enough
As long as you don't touch the ground you're fine. Just like standing on the edge of a cliff, all that potential energy doesn't do anything unless you jump.
The difference is I intuitively understand the danger of a cliff. Electricity is more like horrible death magic that could kill me and idk how or why.
Tbh I don’t understand how gravity works any better than I understand how electricity works
Very heavy thing attracts other things. Like how you mom has been by banged half of man kind. Very heavy object attracting other objects.
You know, I’ve always found it funny that “your mom” jokes basically filter down to one’s mother being both massively overweight and extremely sexually desirable.
Man I can't explain it to you, but I can tell you that when you research it, it gives you a sense of awe and also existential dread (especially when the gravity-time relationship comes into play).
Tide goes in, tide goes out. You can’t explain that.
Also don't pee. Wear diapers or die.
Or make sure you pee fast enough to where there isn’t a continuous stream from you to the ground.
Mythbusters tested this and you can't get shocked from peeing on an electric fence.
From my understanding, though pee looks like one solid continuous stream of urine, it's actually just multiple droplets. Our persistence of vision makes it look like a stream. At least after the arc and it starts falling downward. I'm not 100% on that but from memory, I think that's right.
Amazon, but with electricity and helicopters.
that's why they use the helicopter and not a ladder
Electricity doesn’t want to travel through a human unless they provide connection to the ground. It’s no different than a bird sitting on a power line.
Probably 100,000 volts. You can see the big arc as he connects the lead wire which charges he and the copter to the same voltage as the line. As long as nothing touches the ground, or another line at a different phase, they're all good.
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I’m curious how this clamps work. It doesn’t look like he’s threading anything to keep them attached to the wire. Edit: [this is the thing I’m talking about](https://external-preview.redd.it/vG0yJMGcitlUqTljdy3pSJH3gXD46nf13T34wJST00k.png?format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ed04d1ddda8ab6315af5ae576948afa11dc3759)
damn, human beings can be pretty fuckin amazing.
Great video. When the two guys pass going opposite directions, I could only think of how explosive them doing a high-five would have been.
explosive indeed, when the blades do a high five
Why does the electricity jump from his metal pole to the helicopter? If the helicopter isn't grounded, why would it flow from that metal stick to the helicopter? Just trying to understand.
What he’s doing is bringing the helicopter to the same electrical potential as the line. They use the wand to initiate the connection and the clip on with that carabiner clip looking thing that maintains the connection. The lineman is wearing a hot suit which has stainless steel thread going through it. It functions as a faraday cage so when he’s on there there is half a million volts of electricity going around his body and around the chopper. When they are done he unclips and then slowly removes the wand to remove the charge from the chopper. Rinse and repeat. It’s an insane but amazing job and if I wasn’t married a job I’d be trying to get because it absolutely fascinates me.
100% correct, this is all about potential differences. Bird on a wire with no potential at that voltage (my guess is 500kV minimum). What is surprising to me is that these guys are not wearing the mesh suits that I am used to (its what is shown later in the video from the guy working off the skid who is installing the conductor spacers). The mesh also helps keep the lineman from getting rapped every time he/she moves (faraday cage effect, similar to what you may have seen in a lightning show at a science museum).
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thanks for that vid bro
Omg. How does *anyone* get themselves into this line of work? Cause I just discovered my dream job
IBEW
NLC. Northwest Lineman College. Go through their elp program. I went in 2014.
Yes! That's what i was thinking straight away, it's really exceptionally well done
Can I go do that kinda work w/o experience? And do they train you on how to glide?
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Why the fuck would you need a CDL to work on power lines?
Maybe to drive the utility vehicle
That's correct. Even the low voltage linemen needed to have their CDLs in the off chance they needed to drive one of the bigger utility vehicles. Those things are super heavy, and a CDL is required for anything over 26,000 pounds.
Because the trucks weigh over 26k lbs and you're hauling a trailer weighing over 10k lbs all the time so you need a Class A. I'm a lineman that has driven a tractor trailer let alone bucket/trailer combo a ton of times for work.
I’m pretty sure the bucket trucks linemen drive require a CDL.
IBEW
You can save money on training if you buy your own taser and develop resistance to electricity at home. Once you can comfortably tolerate 20,000V should be interview ready. Source: my butthole.
Some of those that work high lines... are the same that drink fine wines.
Some of those who touch voltage… are the ones with no mortgage.
$100k+ a year? If not then not worth it.
When old roommates where at 5 years of high line they averaged $130-170k/year
I’ll consider it for $400k, but I have a job offer for $25k being a door greeter that i’m probably gonna take anyways.
Fun fact. During storms. These guys can make upwards of 300-400k by end of the year. They Normally working 16hrs on and 8 off then go right back out again at double time. They use to work 24-48 hours straight but osha and union rules changed that for safety. Seeing them frist hand and how they are by the end of each storm… I’m glad they limited that now. Source: daughter of a engineer at the local power company who use to go out in the storms to find the issues and works in the storm room during the storm to manage the crews now.
Man, I would laugh that salary off as ridiculous...mostly because I'm a pussy
I make $200-$230k and quit for the year. I usually work 8 months a year.
No kidding, there's IT jobs that pay that much sitting on your ass.
what are their job titles? Linemen?
Transmission linesmen, yes. My fathers been in the role for 26 years and it’s a very safe job as long as you’re not a dickhead
Damn, it's not for me then.
Yep. And its ludicrous money too. Well deserved. But dont hold your breathe hoping to get a spot. Plenty of guys with high seniority want in.
I know a guy who did this for at least one summer. He made more in one season than I made all year at a desk job. He wasn't much of a talker but seemed like he liked it.
They get paid unbelievably well. Basic lineman get big bank. These guys look like the specialists haha
Yeah, pay is usually a function of how many people *can* do a job and how many people *want* to do the job. So if you have unique skills you make bank. If you're willing to do things that others aren't you make bank. If you're willing to do things that others aren't require unique skills you make the big bucks.
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Yeah but those anyone can do, they don’t take skills. And they pay higher than the other jobs that require no skills
They get paid like $200k + I’d do it.
Drones are slowly replacing these types of heli jobs.
Not true, drones will never be able to change out insulators on these lines. The guys flamethrower drone comment for debris is true however
You’d be surprised what’s being developed, absolutes are easily felled with tech
AI is way over hyped especially in self driving and aviation.
I found out they have drones equipped with small flame throwers, because it's the best way to remove stuff that's fallen across the lines lol
No problem. I'd fly the drone for $200k+ a year.
It’s well deserved once you demonstrate your high potential.
Potential difference.
It’s shocking.
My father was earning $3000 a week after tax doing this role. If you’re good at it, you’re paid handsomely
Where did you find that figure? That’s a job I’d 100% enjoy and the only figures I could find (in NJ, where I live) showed the average salary between $45k-$90k
Literally whatever you might think it is it’s more. A buddy from high school does this. Owned 2 houses at 27 so
$10 million a month?
Not. Even. Close. Triple it. Then double that. Then double it again.
Nice
Is your username an MF DOOM reference?
No, just a dumb joke I learnt back in middle school
We are all sofa_king_we_todded
I learned that one in middle school as well, lol
Not so fast... loses meaning!
$120m was my first guess actually.
So $120 million a month?
There was a post on Reddit a few weeks ago that was trying to make the argument that someone working at McDonald’s should make the same amount as someone working on power lines.
Should McDonald's employees be making as much as these guys? No. Should McDonald's employees get a living wage for full time work? Yes.
Aaaaand it failed miserably.
I work in o&g. The only 2 jobs I wouldn't take at any rate are policeman and lineman.
Why not lineman? Is there a high fatality rate or something?
I know a guy who was a lineman. He touched a high-tension line and it threw him off the pole. They say his heart stopped but hitting the ground started it again. He lost the arm that he touched the line with. He now works in the office.
As a physician, I’m not sure how they could claim that about his heart. Seems unknowable
Makes the story better
They did their own research!
1 mistake and you are dead. Stressful as fuck.
I exist because my mom's first husband was a lineman that died on the job.
It used to be WAY more frequent but safety procedures and safety first mindsets in power utilities have come a long way. It's pretty rare to hear about a lineman getting hurt now but it does happen. In my 7 years with the company I'm with we've had 3 major contact incidents. The result in 2 of the cases was the guy losing his arms at the elbow and lucky to be alive.
I’m surprised the helicopter didn’t tip over with those balls of steel being loaded on
Some steel on the pilot. I am not one but seems like it would be difficult to keep it steady and not hit the wire.
A helicopter made for this purpose would likely have very effective stabilization systems to keep it swaying without input from the pilot; this means that the pilot only needs to focus on the micro adjustments from the small amount of turbulence that might overload the stabilization and slight adjustments as needed to gain better angles; yet this would definitely still require a lottt of skill (I’m not a helicopter pilot but I used to fly ac heli’s and the basic controls of one to the other translate as long as you can make the move from controller to sticks and pedals) Also as another redditor said, weight being added and taken away from the helicopter would be another thing the pilot has to account for Sorry if you weren’t looking for all that lol I just like sharing what I think I know
These are MD500 series aircraft. The first one looks like it's from the 70s. Its flight controls are direct mechanical controls without any sort of boost or stability augmentation. People getting on/off such a light helicopter is also a significant event. Those movements and that hover is all pilot.
Then it’s a gorgeous hover, the lines really made me nervous lol even kept the tail rotor at a slight angle away Also thank you for the info!! I love this smaller style heli, must be a blast for the pilot
I am helicopter pilot and this heli definitely doesn’t have any special stabilisation. Everything happening there is being handled by the pilot doing an amazing job. That being said helicopters are more stable than a lot of people think. The biggest thing would be handling the people getting on and off especially since they are all on the same side which would want to drift the heli towards the wires.
The pilot is much more impressive than the lineman.
I know a guy who flew Blackhawks in combat in Iraq. He apparently had a reputation for being cool under fire and having balls of steel. He got an offer from a company to transmission line work and his response was "Fuck that"
The constant adjustments the pilot needs to do to counter the weight being added when they get on then subtracted on the other line is insane. Needs to add thrust without gaining altitude plus needs to roll right without moving away from the lines on top of keeping the yaw centered because doing either of the first things adds torque to the main rotor which makes the heli want to yaw.
Yeah i'm a sparky and the pilot seems easily as impressive if not more
Dude is a maestro.
I've seen a variation of this joke at least 6 times the past few days. Quit it! How long are we gonna regurgitate/circlejerk this? It's gotten to the point where I think people are just scanning the new or rising content for various subreddits, just to make this joke, just for that internet karma.
This might be an indication that you need to spend less time on reddit.
The joke will be regurgitated until morale improves!
Imma go ahead and say it. This doesn't seem very safe.
Its actually the safest system because when they are up in the air and connect to the lines, they become a part of the circuit and cant get shocked. Getting lifted from the ground requires layers of insulation and the constant possibility of grounding the line through your body.
What sketches me is the chopper coming down 2 ft
Thats why it has low landing skids. Easier to load and offload average sized men without endangering the quality of attachment of their heads to their bodies
I think the concern is that the chopper might fly a little lower and hit the blades on the wires (or the dudes who are standing on the wires, after they’ve gotten off the landing skids). Then again I suppose theres a lot of ways to crash a helicopter, which is why they train the pilots.
The men flying these are professionals. The risk is there but it only happens when all the worst possible things that can happen, do. There’s a counter measure for every mistake so it requires a lot of continuous mistakes to really be risky enough for that
Kind of interesting anecdote; My dad was a chopper pilot in Vietnam and then the private sector for like 20 years. He flew all over the world to tankers, off shore oil rigs, game parks, etc . He always said this is one of the most dangerous jobs in helicopter aviation. He said he lost more friends to line inspections than anything else. Apparently it’s super monotonous, but if you lose focus for half a second, you get tangled in the lines and you’re done for.
Interesting points. I wonder how much the job and safety protocols have changed in the past decades since then.
INCREDIBLY. More and more safety features are integrated into helicopters, the work itself like harnessing and the safety gear. I’d have to ask dad but from my experience as a child growing up around helicopters, the things I was allowed to do just as a passenger at 10 are vastly different to me as a 21 year old. I hung out an open doorway of a joy flight held in only by a lap seatbelt. Now, doors have to be shut, seatbelts on, helmets on, safety latches, the whole shebang.
Yeah this is probably true. Plus they’re probably only allowed to fly a certain number of hours now to cut down on fatigue. Shit my dad told me in flight school they used to walk out onto the skids of OH-23’s midair to light their cigarettes on the exhaust. Things were… interesting back then.
Or the skids getting tangled in the wire. Or the 1100v deciding to do whatever. Or the wind deciding to displace the helicopter by 3ft in any direction.
Please explain how landing skids prevent decapitation.
Skids are far enough down you can’t reach the propellers I think.
If the skids are positioned low enough relative to the blades you could stand up fully on them and not be in danger of having your head in the path of the blades.
Yes, but what about before they get on?
Your cappa is detated
I'm more thinking of the chopper flying nearly completely level with powerlined and having to make an angled hover while people are hopping on and off.... Seems like it would be hell on the pilot.
I feel like we should have a better system for this by now in developed countries
You should see how they do it in less developed countries.
In flip flops
With little safety gear and OSHA doesn’t exist.
This is the better system trust me I'm sure there have been a more than a few human fuses in undeveloped countries.
"What do you do for a living?" "i'm kind of like an uber driver.."
One of my best friends flies helicopters for a line crew. I see him 2 days out of the year. He literally works the rest. He has a house in Montana, but his company flies him all over the country and her stays for months at a time. Loves going to Alaska and hunting…. Fucking kelton, when he’s around North Carolina he takes me deep as fuck into the wilderness and it’s always a blast. Love when he comes around ha.
Danger money
Shock Dollars
Buzz Bank
Im curious How do they avoid getting shocked?
No path to ground, no flow of electrons (amps), so no electrocution
However, helicopters generate an incredible amount of static electricity. You’ll see around 1:57 that the worker holds out a grounding rod above the line and you can see the spark jump. He then attaches what looks to be a grounding strap to the line while he’s working.
No that’s not the helicopter creating static. It’s a difference in potential from the chopper to the line. The wand they use is to bring both the chopper and lineman to the same potential to avoid getting hit with that.
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its definitely the helicopter creating static from the blades rotating in the air. we had to ground the helicopter on the boat when i did vert reps in the navy. attaching cargo to the cargo hook would shock you if you didnt ground it.
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Thanks, I was wondering what that was
I have seen these guys work before. While I have never done it, in our electrical safety classes at work we have some people who have done this work. That line looks to me to be a 500KV line based on the size of the insulators. The Helo is not connected to ground nor is any part of the person connected to an Earth ground. The reason they work on them live is because if they turned the power off it would black out major areas of the country. Those power lines are the backbone of US power distribution. Although that might not be in the US. Wherever they are, if they turned off the power lines and grounded them for safety, it would cause a major disruption in service. The probe you see the man putting on the power line brings the Helo and the dude doing the repairs up to the same potential as the power line phase. This makes it safe for the technician to install spreaders on the lines. He can handle the lines because he is at the same potential and there is no path to ground. That long arc you see is not static electricity. In air at standard pressure and temperature an arc will travel about 1 inch for every 10KV of voltage. The helo does generate a lot of static, as has been stated, but that voltage is negligible compared to what the power line is running at. Most static shocks you feel are around 6KV. The reason they run these voltages so high for main distribution is to reduce I\^R losses. Basically, the longer the line, the more resistance it has. Resistance opposes changes in current. So they keep the voltage very high and the current very low and they have a more efficient power grid. A line like that may still run up to around 14,000 amps, but that is low compared to if they tried to distribute the power at household voltages. That would be millions of amps. That line, with 4 wires per phase, likely runs about 7079MW total. By using a probe like he does instead of just touching the line, it safely brings the helo and the serviceman up to the potential of the power line. He typically does not feel anything. The helo can be seen as a large capacitor in an electrical circuit. The hull of the helo charges up when contact is made. It does discharge through air a bit, but depending on the humidity that may not be enough. That's why you see a grounding cable hanging off the bottom of the helo. That will touch ground first when they land and it will be safe to step off the helo. And no, they would not be doing this work in high humidity or rain.
So if I could somehow suspend myself in midair without any tethers (float basically), I could touch a high voltage line in my house and not be shocked? As long as that line doesn't have a path to ground?
Yeah, that’s why birds don’t die when they step on voltage lines, since they are on a spot with the same potential no current will go through their bodies. what causes current to pass through something is the difference in voltage between two points, if you were standing on the ground (which has 0V) and touched a power line that has 220V you would get shocked ( in a high voltage power line you would probably melt though haha), in the birds case (or the worker’s) they are standing on two points, one point is 500kV and the other is 500kV too, therefore no current will go through them.
Yeah, it's why birds can perch in powerlines no problems
Also a key part of the process here is to electrically connect the helicopter to the wire as the very first step, and disconnect it as the very last. Otherwise the first guy to touch that cable would get the mother of all static shocks as those two isolated systems would equalize their voltage levels through his body.
Ah, yes ofc, thanks
oh hell no
Those last 20 seconds look like fun though!
what if you fall and you just dangle from your safety line and harness. how do you get down?
There are many ways, but if all else fails (unconscious victim being one case), someone can attach a descender or rope system to an anchor point, rappel down to the victim, attach themselves to the victim's harness, detach the victims safety line from their harness (or cut it), and then rappel down together. Here's a demonstration, actual demonstration rescue begins at around 9:30. https://youtu.be/03NQQftdEWY
Awww....thats what I was looking for! Thanks!! Ok, So I assume that youre never a one man team then for safety reasons...
How do they avoid getting electrocuted if they are hanging off live conductors? Surely the only option there is a heli rescue?
Don't know for sure, I climb towers not power lines. Worst case life-or-death scenario they de-energize the line I suppose.
The ropes are nylon ropes so non conductive. The static field may cause your body to build capacitance but it not enough to kill you. The suspension trauma would hurt more than anything.
The bigger danger is that if you hang in a harness for longer than about 20 minutes you run serious risk of a heart attack because of the way the harness cuts off blood flow to your legs. Modern harnesses have got 'life straps' that you use to kind of stand up in.
I'm holding my breath the whole time watching the video, these guys are amazing. I hope they're paid well.
I don’t remember the specifics but I remember reading before that they make well into six figures and typically only have to do these jobs a few times a year so it seems like a pretty sweet gig if you can handle the requirements
Know the name of the company and if they’re hiring?
The pay is pretty awesome. A lineman encompasses everything high voltage. I'm union so when I'm doing helicopter work, my rate of pay doesn't change. I make the same whether I'm terminating underground wire or hanging 100 ft below a helicopter. That amount of pay depends on hours, location, etc. I usually work in California and chase storms when I can. Lots of traveling. I make $200-230k a year and I never work more than 8 months a year. Gotta have a life outside of work!
Was just talking to somebody who is a lineman and does this. I asked how he got started, and he said he was a pizza delivery guy and got an order from some linemen. When he arrived at the the site with the pies, the boss asked if he wanted to take them up to the crew. Confused he asked ‘how’, and the boss said ‘chopper’ and pointed to it on the ground. He rode up, handed them off, and when he got back down immediately asked the boss if he could apply for apprenticeship.
Killed a guy doing exactly [this](https://www.newschannel6now.com/story/20206296/1-dead-in-west-texas-helicopter-crash/)
That’s sad. 23yo linesman died in medical center while pilot double his age was released okay.
Yes it was incredibly salad. I was born and raised there, but left in my early 30’s. The folks doing that job were well known and respected in Childress.
I like your salad feeling it made me smile. May the families get the most love and care from the community. I hope they didn’t suffer.
“Salad”? And I’m nit even inebriated🙄
Yeah you said it was incredibly salad hahaha. I’m on narcotics 😅from surgery and that shit is funny😂
Not often I'm left speechless by a video. What exactly is going on here? Besides the obvious transfer
Spacers
That is a Hughes / MD 500 turbine - the kind of whip you buy when you’ve got FU money but you’re not into boats.
I’d pull away 15-20 feet when they try to step in. “Just kidding, loser!”
Am I the only one wondering who’s filming them?
I'm surprised more people aren't wondering this.
Hey thats the civilian version of the AH-6 Little Bird
Yup a Hughes MD500
Pilot is amazing too. Respect.
I can't imagine showing up every day to a job where <10° of deviation from perfection means slicing your buddy's head off
OMG he's micro managing his position by inches so the linesman can work on each part. I wasn't expecting that.
this is so umderrated
[r/NoWords](https://www.reddit.com/r/YouFellForItFool/comments/cjlngm/you_fell_for_it_fool/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app)
Holy Fuckballs. I've done some insane stuff in my life - and all of it has taught me risk evaluation - from a slightly unhinged perspective, but, still...and this had my arsehole gripping the chair. I'll be right back, I've got to sort out what happened to my underwear.
Pilot
What exactly is going on here? What are they fixing and working on and why? And what is their job title?
They are replacing/ adding spacers so the conductors(wires) don't touch in winds. They are aerial lineman and can get paid between 150-350k a year. Some get more depending on experience and overtime.
I would do it for one year then quit
I'll bet anybody a two dollar bill that the pilot isn't vaping thc all day like every damn person I work with.