NZ_Heli Used For work with 222,000v Overhead

http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4079789a10.html

Another electrifying day on the job


Southland Times
ELECTRIFYING: Being suspended up to 40m above the ground on live
220,000-volt lines may not be for everyone, but it was just another day on
the job for Electrix linemen working near Invercargill.


It was an electrifying aerial display over Makarewa farmland just north of
Invercargill and not one for the faint-hearted.


While being suspended up to 40m above the ground on live 220,000-volt lines
may not be for everyone, Electrix contract manager Kim Sheridan insisted his
team of six linemen was enjoying every minute of it.

"It's a little gung-ho, I suppose, but the guys are used to it. The guys
actually enjoy the work."

The linemen, with a support crew of two on the ground, have been replacing
sub-conductor spacers on spans of transmission lines between pylons on the
Manapouri to Invercargill and Manapouri to Tiwai lines since last week, Mr
Sheridan said.

The spacers, which have been in place since the lines were built in 1968,
were rusted and were being replaced as part of continuing maintenance of the
national grid.

During the process, developed by Electrix in 2003, linemen were suspended
between two lines in carts and connected to a helicopter via a
non-conductive dielectric cable, Mr Sheridan said.

"It's a pretty slick procedure."

Mr Sheridan said Electrix was the only lines contractor in New Zealand to
use choppers in its work.

It was efficient and sped up the process.

Electrix was using Otago Helicopters.

The linemen were at the mercy of the weather, however, and were unable to
work in the rain due to the volatile mix of electricity and water, while
high winds could also make the work a little hairy, Mr Sheridan said.

Lineman that do this in the U.S. use Hughes 500's and sit on the skids (it
was on Discovery Channel). I did not see any little "cable cars" though
: ).

Chris

"Ducky" wrote in message
...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4079789a10.html

Another electrifying day on the job


Southland Times
ELECTRIFYING: Being suspended up to 40m above the ground on live
220,000-volt lines may not be for everyone, but it was just another day on
the job for Electrix linemen working near Invercargill.


It was an electrifying aerial display over Makarewa farmland just north of
Invercargill and not one for the faint-hearted.


While being suspended up to 40m above the ground on live 220,000-volt
lines may not be for everyone, Electrix contract manager Kim Sheridan
insisted his team of six linemen was enjoying every minute of it.

"It's a little gung-ho, I suppose, but the guys are used to it. The guys
actually enjoy the work."

The linemen, with a support crew of two on the ground, have been replacing
sub-conductor spacers on spans of transmission lines between pylons on the
Manapouri to Invercargill and Manapouri to Tiwai lines since last week, Mr
Sheridan said.

The spacers, which have been in place since the lines were built in 1968,
were rusted and were being replaced as part of continuing maintenance of
the national grid.

During the process, developed by Electrix in 2003, linemen were suspended
between two lines in carts and connected to a helicopter via a
non-conductive dielectric cable, Mr Sheridan said.

"It's a pretty slick procedure."

Mr Sheridan said Electrix was the only lines contractor in New Zealand to
use choppers in its work.

It was efficient and sped up the process.

Electrix was using Otago Helicopters.

The linemen were at the mercy of the weather, however, and were unable to
work in the rain due to the volatile mix of electricity and water, while
high winds could also make the work a little hairy, Mr Sheridan said.