Did anyone happen to catch the documentary on the history channel about
using helicopters to check HV lines.

Fascinating stuff, very wild to see the heli some inches from a 300KV line
with a handler hanging out the side with a grounding line to the heli. At
some points you could see the arc jump to the ground line 2~3 feet.

As a couch pilot I thought the flying was unbelievable, particularly when
you watch the PIC maneuver the cyclic 15 degrees in all directions
constantly - he never stopped moving it. What surprised me is how stable the
platform was for the linesman hanging out the door with a wrench tightening
a bolt 150' in the air, it was as if he was on a ladder.

If you get a chance try and see the show.