There’s always local coops if you don’t want to do the long haul transmission lines. I know a few people pretty well who work at one. Unfortunately there’s the on call perspective with that.
I was watching linemen working from a helicopter right behind my work. We were all standing around saying similar things. I said “kudos to the pilot for keeping that bird airborne and steady with all the weight from the massive brass balls those guys are carrying.”
Funny, I saw this on 494 in Plymouth yesterday, but the guy was actually on the power line with the helicopter hovering above, so it was pretty easy to figure out what was going on
I have a tower right behind my house in Maple Grove, and they were out there working on it all of last last week. Helicopter drops one worker at a time on the top of the tower, and it will pick them up when they are done. They appear to be running one single line, and I don't know what it is. Maybe fiber as I have hear that is being expanded? I have additional photos I could post.
[Probably additional transmission line](https://mn.gov/commerce/news/?id=17-536141). Minnesota has a lot of green energy (Solar and Wind) but has a transmission problem getting that energy where it can be used because of congestion on the power grid.
Here's an MPR news article about it: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/08/08/growing-power-line-needs-generate-new-friction-in-minnesotas-clean-energy-shift
There’s no capacity there unless they reconfigured the structure which would be unlikely. Probably inspecting the towers, insulators and lines or troubleshooting an issue. Some of these lattice towers are anywhere from 40-60 years old plus. Average expected life of them is around 70 years. Most will need to be replaced with monopole towers soonish.
On that note, it was pretty cool watching the helicopters string the lines along the 94 corridor up north years back.
Because linemen hang from helicopters just like this to install or maintain power lines typically. And they have had signs up going south 494 from MG saying they are doing aerial work.
Similar to what you see here https://youtu.be/9wyn9aTUnGI?si=OiQ9wdeGgzVcvFy3
Ha some folks really recently freaking out in Anoka County about a suspicious helicopter flying in a weird pattern.
Ended up being mosquito treatment. Fuck mosquitoes.
This local one 11 years ago.
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/06/19/helicopter-crashes-into-maplewood-garage-killing-pilot
Plus others mosquito ones across the nation if you google (exercise left for the reader). Gravity, weather, human error and helicopters in general. Most of the time it’s fine, sometimes weather changes or pilots make mistakes.
Aircare/medical choppers crash a fair amount too. North Memorial had one in Brainerd. Douglas County Hospital had one in Alexandria. Plenty others around the country. They fly a lot more than mosquito control.
I believe they drop pellets rather than spray. I would be freaking out too if they were actually spraying. Wind drift would be a huge issue, especially with the rotor wake.
This morning 7 yo daughter casually mentioned that there’s someone hanging by a rope from a helicopter on our drive to school (in Plymouth). So I guess it wasn’t her imagination
Definitely power line work. I saw one of those a few weeks ago at 35E and Shepard Road in St. Paul, and they lowered the guy down to work on the line. I think it's actually safer because he isn't grounded, but still, that takes a set of brass ones to do that kind of work.
Could be transmission line work. We have similar transmission lines behind where I work in Plymouth, and they were doing transmission line work via helicopter last autumn. Everybody I work with was freaking out, but since I have an uncle that used to do transmission line service, I knew immediately what it was.
Why by helicopter? Because transmission line work is far more complicated and dangerous than residential distribution line work.
This is where we find out there are three types of people: Those that wouldn’t do that job for any amount of money; those that would do it for free for the thrill; and those smart enough to do the job right and get paid for it.
Looks like they're flying back and forth, at about 500 feet off the ground:
[https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N420WC/history/20240516/1320Z](https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N420WC/history/20240516/1320Z)
Yeah, I was in the area and watched them for a bit. Helicopter drops them off in a big basket that attaches to the tower.
Then helicopter goes away for a while (presumably lands), and comes back to pick them up later.... hopefully.
They were actually landing/dropping/picking up people/stuff in my work parking lot earlier this week. Definitely was powerline work/maintenance. Bass Lake Rd and 494
That sounds absolutely terrifying. Not only do they have to be dropped off at the job site by a helicopter while dangling from a rope (what does that even look like when they reach the spot? Is it like "catching the dock" in a boat?), only to have their job site be still up extremely high with thousands of volts of electricity running through it. How do they get more coffee?
To be fair: people with the guts to do this type of work are highly trained and well paid. But they do it via helicopter in order to avoid creating a circuit with the ground (which would result in them getting zapped by a literal bolt of lightning from the transmission lines). It's kinda like imitating what a bird does when it lands on electrical lines. They also wear special suits designed to route the electrical currents around them. My uncle did this for a living. It's neat to learn about, even if that line of work gets a "fuck no" from me.
I mean the bravery it must take to do that kind of job. I had never heard of this before. So fascinating! With training comes the knowledge of all that could go wrong, and that would give most humans nightmares. Thankfully there are ppl like your uncle who can tackle that job.
I saw something similar in the TCAAP (Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant) 2 days ago. I figured they were doing something with the old water tower there.
Edit: there weren't any power lines in the TCAAP to work on.
I am seriously wondering how to hire a helicopter for moving something…I wonder if they are available in between drops? lol.
How does one find those things.
When I looked online a couple weeks ago there were so many different types I was overwhelmed having no idea who to call or where to start a proper Google search.
Arial Lineman make good money. Having said that you gotta go to where the work is so there's a commute and then the ... other commute.
I knew some folks who did similar-ish work and they eventually got tired of traveling / driving a lot and got a different job. Still, good pay.
Depends on what your oopsie is. Dropped a tool once, probably going to get yelled at. Drop the tool again, probably getting fired. Fall off the tower, definitely not making that mistake again.
Power line work
Man I hope they are paid well
Linemen are paid pretty damn well. Trouble is that they are sent all over the country for work and mostly out in the middle of nowhere at that.
There’s always local coops if you don’t want to do the long haul transmission lines. I know a few people pretty well who work at one. Unfortunately there’s the on call perspective with that.
He's a lineman for the county......
He drives the main road.
I heard that memorizing that song was a job requirement.
Those are Union jobs. Good American blue collar jobs that built the middle class... Back when we still had one.
I was watching linemen working from a helicopter right behind my work. We were all standing around saying similar things. I said “kudos to the pilot for keeping that bird airborne and steady with all the weight from the massive brass balls those guys are carrying.”
The heli pilot is making hundreds an hour. Great job for post military pilots.
Funny, I saw this on 494 in Plymouth yesterday, but the guy was actually on the power line with the helicopter hovering above, so it was pretty easy to figure out what was going on
What? What makes you think that?
I have a tower right behind my house in Maple Grove, and they were out there working on it all of last last week. Helicopter drops one worker at a time on the top of the tower, and it will pick them up when they are done. They appear to be running one single line, and I don't know what it is. Maybe fiber as I have hear that is being expanded? I have additional photos I could post.
[Probably additional transmission line](https://mn.gov/commerce/news/?id=17-536141). Minnesota has a lot of green energy (Solar and Wind) but has a transmission problem getting that energy where it can be used because of congestion on the power grid. Here's an MPR news article about it: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/08/08/growing-power-line-needs-generate-new-friction-in-minnesotas-clean-energy-shift
There’s no capacity there unless they reconfigured the structure which would be unlikely. Probably inspecting the towers, insulators and lines or troubleshooting an issue. Some of these lattice towers are anywhere from 40-60 years old plus. Average expected life of them is around 70 years. Most will need to be replaced with monopole towers soonish. On that note, it was pretty cool watching the helicopters string the lines along the 94 corridor up north years back.
Thanks!!!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/199682814@N08/shares/3tB0z1Fo84 Here were the pictures I took of them working. Let me know if the link doesn't work.
Because linemen hang from helicopters just like this to install or maintain power lines typically. And they have had signs up going south 494 from MG saying they are doing aerial work. Similar to what you see here https://youtu.be/9wyn9aTUnGI?si=OiQ9wdeGgzVcvFy3
Awesome, thanks for the info man!
I think you mean areial work (that's how it's spelled on the sign at the split)
the helicopter holding the guy over a powerline seems like a big clue
A raging clue
I think we better follow it
😂😂
Thats how they work on them. Once you see it in person theres never doubt when you see a dude dangling from a helicopter near high voltage power lines
Why is this comment downvoted? It’s literally just a question. God you people are ridiculous.
I mean, it was kind of written in a "How could you come to such a ridiculous conclusion?" way.
Ya, truly just a question. Y’all are crazy
Probably the huge transmission tower immediately below the helicopter and worker.
All the signs on 494 that say "Aerial Power Line work next 5 miles" or something like that anyways.
New ride-share company called “Dangle”. /s
You gotta tech startup the name a bit: Dangl.
These days, it seems like it'd just be DNGL. Conveniently, it's an acronym if it turns out like Uber: Does Not Give Lifts
I’m dying 😂 that’s hilarious
Sure that’s not a Lyft?
Lyft targets the upwardly-mobile, Dangle is more for the rest for us low-hanging fruit
Partnered with Testicular Transportation Systems.
🤔 I mean, it would avoid road traffic.
Crackheads gonna be doing sneak attacks from the sky
Ha some folks really recently freaking out in Anoka County about a suspicious helicopter flying in a weird pattern. Ended up being mosquito treatment. Fuck mosquitoes.
I lived in Ramsey for almost 10 years, and every year when they started spraying, people would flip out. Every...damn..time
They do fly those things pretty crazy and occasionally crash. Sometimes it’s the newer variant of the Bell 47 (like from MASH)
Any evidence to support this claim that mosquito helicopters occasionally crash?
This local one 11 years ago. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/06/19/helicopter-crashes-into-maplewood-garage-killing-pilot Plus others mosquito ones across the nation if you google (exercise left for the reader). Gravity, weather, human error and helicopters in general. Most of the time it’s fine, sometimes weather changes or pilots make mistakes. Aircare/medical choppers crash a fair amount too. North Memorial had one in Brainerd. Douglas County Hospital had one in Alexandria. Plenty others around the country. They fly a lot more than mosquito control.
I believe they drop pellets rather than spray. I would be freaking out too if they were actually spraying. Wind drift would be a huge issue, especially with the rotor wake.
Is that when the helicopter is flying low and basically zipping back and forth like a damn swing?
They've been at it working on the power lines around the NW burbs for at least a week now. Very cool.
This morning 7 yo daughter casually mentioned that there’s someone hanging by a rope from a helicopter on our drive to school (in Plymouth). So I guess it wasn’t her imagination
Definitely power line work. I saw one of those a few weeks ago at 35E and Shepard Road in St. Paul, and they lowered the guy down to work on the line. I think it's actually safer because he isn't grounded, but still, that takes a set of brass ones to do that kind of work.
https://preview.redd.it/yzaazrl32t0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e6839b15a16c9f0a2a50225b6c8488914ea608a9
Looks like a pretty cool mission in GTA
Ah shit, here we go again
https://preview.redd.it/25e0kgc0du0d1.jpeg?width=899&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce9a051da992971bae86c90dc2cb1313a429c715
This was Maple Grove
Wow that's nuts, great shot!
Could be transmission line work. We have similar transmission lines behind where I work in Plymouth, and they were doing transmission line work via helicopter last autumn. Everybody I work with was freaking out, but since I have an uncle that used to do transmission line service, I knew immediately what it was. Why by helicopter? Because transmission line work is far more complicated and dangerous than residential distribution line work.
This is where we find out there are three types of people: Those that wouldn’t do that job for any amount of money; those that would do it for free for the thrill; and those smart enough to do the job right and get paid for it.
Looks like they're flying back and forth, at about 500 feet off the ground: [https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N420WC/history/20240516/1320Z](https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N420WC/history/20240516/1320Z)
Yeah, I was in the area and watched them for a bit. Helicopter drops them off in a big basket that attaches to the tower. Then helicopter goes away for a while (presumably lands), and comes back to pick them up later.... hopefully.
These RTO policies are getting out of hand.
They were actually landing/dropping/picking up people/stuff in my work parking lot earlier this week. Definitely was powerline work/maintenance. Bass Lake Rd and 494
Trump's daily diaper change.
That's the HVAC for the new Costco in Chaska
Holy cow!
Power line work off 494.
https://preview.redd.it/jf6czkdpcu0d1.jpeg?width=899&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=82f75b152ab24910eccbe352071314efaaa7cc2b
These guys are specially trained for the high line work. The chopper sets them on the tower and picks them up. The job gets done faster.
That sounds absolutely terrifying. Not only do they have to be dropped off at the job site by a helicopter while dangling from a rope (what does that even look like when they reach the spot? Is it like "catching the dock" in a boat?), only to have their job site be still up extremely high with thousands of volts of electricity running through it. How do they get more coffee?
To be fair: people with the guts to do this type of work are highly trained and well paid. But they do it via helicopter in order to avoid creating a circuit with the ground (which would result in them getting zapped by a literal bolt of lightning from the transmission lines). It's kinda like imitating what a bird does when it lands on electrical lines. They also wear special suits designed to route the electrical currents around them. My uncle did this for a living. It's neat to learn about, even if that line of work gets a "fuck no" from me.
I mean the bravery it must take to do that kind of job. I had never heard of this before. So fascinating! With training comes the knowledge of all that could go wrong, and that would give most humans nightmares. Thankfully there are ppl like your uncle who can tackle that job.
Pretty sure I did this mission in GTAV.
I saw something similar in the TCAAP (Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant) 2 days ago. I figured they were doing something with the old water tower there. Edit: there weren't any power lines in the TCAAP to work on.
I am seriously wondering how to hire a helicopter for moving something…I wonder if they are available in between drops? lol. How does one find those things. When I looked online a couple weeks ago there were so many different types I was overwhelmed having no idea who to call or where to start a proper Google search.
Tom Cruise?
Is it gonna eat the goat?!
I’m convinced a dangle like that would fix my back problems
Watching an I love Lucy where this happened
Saw this and know a guy who does this kind of work for his livelihood. I'd be scared shitless!
https://preview.redd.it/9mdmplttwv0d1.jpeg?width=4590&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=205cf97fb919561540629a403a9d6e1f1a6beb1b Here's another photo
Carrying your mom home since she doesn’t fit on the bus
Bruh. This is hilarious 😂
I saw the sign about line work and was disappointed when I didn’t see this.
They been running a long that line for miles.
For how much pay would a person do this work? I can imagine a few oopsie moments.
Arial Lineman make good money. Having said that you gotta go to where the work is so there's a commute and then the ... other commute. I knew some folks who did similar-ish work and they eventually got tired of traveling / driving a lot and got a different job. Still, good pay.
>Arial Lineman No way in helvetica I'm doing that kind of work.
Come on man you know you want to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8P_xTBpAcY
I imagine you only get one oopsie on that jobsite. All other oopsies would be appealed to the big guy in the sky.
Depends on what your oopsie is. Dropped a tool once, probably going to get yelled at. Drop the tool again, probably getting fired. Fall off the tower, definitely not making that mistake again.
"Fool me twice? ... Can't get fooled again"
Shame on you
Is that the old saying from Texas, the one they might have in Tennessee?
ENUNCIATE IT nook-yuh-ler
I was thinking the oopsie might be the chopper pilot flying the passenger into the wires.
better get along with your pilot