I am a 30 year ARMY Helicopter pilot. I've done some crazy stuff in my career. But this is way out of the box. Congrats to Wilson for making the video. And a congrats to all the crews that flew the helos… and the crews that stepped on them!!
I come across this every now and again. I often stop and watch it, wishing I were a younger man and could have had a part. I bet they saw things nobody else will ever see.
That scene with the sock line pilot in the blue chopper doing the pull through with the "needle" made my butt pucker. "Ferocious concentration" may be the understatement of the decade.
I smiled from ear to ear when that old Navy Tender was restored for service in this group. I LOVE seeing retired military equipment repurposed for other uses. It's a huge exercise in resource conservation, and it's almost poetic in a way. Military equipment being used for peaceful, even humanitarian, reasons. :)
I love the IDEAL of it but ultimately it’s used as a way to back door a few of the “gray area” ones until that slope gets slippery enough for what we currently have landsliding our way. Lots of great thoughts tut into…. something terrifying. Uncomfortable example: Our Great Nation. Yep. I said it. Yep. I stand by it.
One of THE best documentaries I have EVER watched. Not to mention that the video and sound were perfect. Now that is how it SHOULD be done. My sincere thanks to whom engineered this documentary.
Building these power lines looks like it was done on the roughest terrain in the most miserable weather conditions. Respect to all of those responsible for this build, you certainly earned your money on this one.
Now that im 62 and a layman in everything I find these projects fascinating. I have a profound respect for the ingenuity and skill that went into this. Proud to be an American.
Found this video quite by accident. Absolutely fascinating. Just the logistics alone is daunting. Having to deal with bureaucracy and government BS just makes it near impossible, if not frustrating. THEN there's dealing with and overcoming the Alaskan weather and wilderness. Amazing job and amazing documentation. Great video.
In a world chock full of screw ups, it's nice to see competence and drive to do things right...I'm a remodeling contractor for 3 decades...I get stressed over a kitchen remodel...:)...As you stated; the logistics staggers me...
@Marc Johansson Having grown up as a young boy on a homestead in Alaska, moving elsewhere with the military, then spending the last 50 years in California... I have an appreciation for the comparative environments that these guys could have been facing. In Alaska, they worked together for a viable solution; in California the forces in control here will find a way to stop nearly any project! It's a pitiful state of affairs that shows no signs of improving.
Some would say "Aw no way I could do all this one handed". If you really understand (as you do Capn Pete) it's mind boggling complex and even more difficult.
Im a distribution lineman, but it never ceases to amaze me the places and areas that transmission lines travel through....its truly a feat of engineering and hard work when u take the time to actually see how far and where these lines actually go....just something to think about when u turn on ur lights next time (especially if u live in an extremely rural area such as this)
I saw the swath cleared and wondered ...how? That is some amazing(not a big enough word) engineering. All that to bring power to a little burg on the strait. Doesn't matter that it doesn't "pay". It's like space travel, you do it because you can. The payoff is that it can be done. I've seen some power line work with helos along cook inlet when I was visiting there. A light touch and ferocious concentration. This guy is such a good narrator. Hey kids, do like to do bad ass stuff? Like to rock climb? Do crazy stuff with your bike? Check into this kind of work. If you fear mosquitoes well, that might be a problem . The great weather portended the climate change(maybe short lived OK?) that we are still enduring in 2020.
I used to work for Washington State's DNR (Department of Natural Resources) and it was part of my job to keep those access/service roads clear. I've since gone to school for Computer Science and Engineering and tbh, I really want to just get into electrical work on one of these helicopters. I would love doing stuff like this, ua-cam.com/video/DPNK7bc2qvM/v-deo.html
Absolutely crazy, those helicopter pilots, the linemen, and the whole crew overall..including "we'll make a chair for you to sit in, while you pull the repair piece in place, and make the splices", as someone who has worked a bit in this industry, although not a scale anywhere near what these guys are doing in this, it is mind-blowing they were able to complete this without several accidents happening..and that is just planning and dedication and teamwork.
What an adventure. Great narration by Mike Falconer. And no rotten music ruining a fantastic video. Good no serious accident. PS, once, our squad, two at a time, were extracted by riding on the Loach skids like that in the land where Puff the Magic Dragon frolicked. Thanks for showing. The best documentary I've seen.
Sadly I have to admit.... I've been passing over this video for several years since I first noticed it on UA-cam. My apologies to you ALL!! This was a well presented and awesome presentation of a daunting task. I've been around logging, sawmills, hydro-electric sites, and refineries all my life.... and now kicking myself for not watching sooner!!! "Stay Home, Stay Safe" does have some benefits! Y'all be safe out there! Best wishes to all in these challenging times! Skagit Ed
As a former heavy engineer I can appreciate every last drop of sweat, determination and nut and bolt that went into this project. An outstanding job and I don't care what those guys earn, it isn't enough, to bring energy to so many. Great vid.
I fucking love documentaries like this. Simple, to the point. Absolutely NO dramatic filler, staged or choreographed nonsense. No overdramatizing the situation or exaggerating the insanity of it. Just straight to the point with solid imagery and narration. Enjoyed it a lot. Documentary I watched other day would have played up the tension of the men approaching in the helicopter, played a ringing alarm in cockpit as a near death escape. Presenting the laying of the first pole as a momentous occasion. ETC. hahah
A very excellent documentary. This documentary had no contrived emergencies, no last minute pending disasters, you know the routine. Very good and straightforward.
Watching this, shaking my head in amazement! Rick, balls of steel! The rest of the crew, I cannot imagine the hard, dangerous and dedicated tasks all of you did! I salute every single one of you! We that flip a switch assume the power will ALWAYS be there and without all of you folks in this industry, well you know........................Many Thanks!
This was one of the best docs I have seen in years. I wanted more at the end haha. Came away with a great appreciation of this dangerous work and the amazing skill of the lineman and especially the PILOTS who never cease to amaze me at how easy they make those prolonged hovers look✊🏻🍻
What a flood of memories! Camaraderie never rusts! Kyle is hard as nails, but you ve got to be tough when you lead from the front! Under his leadership this project was completed ahead of schedule and with out any incident or injury. The weather for the 9 days of the sky crane was a decent break but everything else was a due to proper job planning and hard work. Rest in peace KO and beck
KO was an inspector. He has since passed away. Beck was a pilot, who has also passed away since this project. Ghost rider was another pilot that worked on this project. He has also passed away.
This felt like an old 70s and earlier teaching/instruction video. I thought it was gonna be boring but I watched the whole thing in enjoyment. Great job!
@@TheNWSCOTT CONFUSING! Al Joseph, My former husband whom passed away was a building contractor in New Iberia Louisiana his name was Allison (Al)Joseph Delahoussaye. I pray his identity is not being used💔
To be fair thats a pretty fucking awesome thing to be able to do, I would have volunteered for that too. Maybe a bunch of people wanted to do it and he just got lucky?
That ship is such an awesome setup. A few barges with tons of equipment and helicopters, two pads on the top of the ship with a machine shop located inside! Owning that ship would be a dream, you could go anywhere and operate.
I do not remember how I got started watching this video. But man, what a group of STUDLY MEN!! Made me proud to be an American to see this mammoth and dangerous scale of work so professionally an ably completed. Just damn!!!
deereboy8400 agreed SO much information and SO clearly communicated I. Perfect order and condensed to minimal time!! Couldn have learned more in less time !!!
VERY nicely said, not to mention the fabulous absence of 'doom and gloom drama' . I would watch anything this guy, Mike Falconer, narrated . :--)))))))))))
No truer words ever spoken - compare to a Discovery Channel production..."OMG! THE FEAR! THE POTENTIAL OF DEATH WITH EACH BREATH!!!! ...WHEW! Well they made it THAT time....BUT WAIT! MORE (unnecessary) DRAMA COMING UP AFTER THESE MESSAGES!!!"
Great documentary, all information and no nonsense added. As a retired construction worker who set units with Erickson and Midwest, I truly appreciate the preparation but most of all the skills of the pilots and lineman.
What a an incredible testament to the engineering, design, and execution of the companies involved. The flying was also unbelievable, and not to mention no-one was injured in the entire job (as far as was shown, anyway). I had no idea as to the complexity it took to plan & install power lines in these remote locations.
I am a retired US Military Blackhawk Pilot (26+ years, I also have 10+ years of flying EMS single pilot. I do have time flying longline. With this said, My hat is off to these Pilots. There is NO WAY I would ever attempt to do what they do. The skill and concentration and precision required is crazy dangerous. Fly safe guys. I am professionally officially retired. No more fricken check rides for this fella. Fly safe and I really hope they pay you all that you are worth! I wouldnt give it a second thought to do what they do for less than $180,000 a year. .
My job required me to ride in the back of Blackhawks for a few years. Much respect and gratitude for the incredible pilots that got us in and out of situations safely and with mad skills. Excellent pilots with nerves of steel and balls of titanium never left us hanging with our d#%ks swinging in the wind. I can honestly say I’m alive today because of one of those pilots. Against orders he came back to get me rather than leave me to die alone without my mates. I will always be grateful for all of the days I’ve had since that day.
As a substation/transmission estimator I would LOVE to see the data behind the amount of time in estimating and the numbers on this project, man hours, costs of each labor type, mobilization costs, margins, management structure, logistics, etc. The data from this project is priceless.
Awesome documentary ! Congratulations to Wilson Construction for finishing AHEAD of schedule and doing so perfectly with no accidents nor injuries and all the while being above compliant with regards to environmental parameters ! A Great American Company ! Warmest Regards from Arizona
This was a pretty cool watch. With 20 years of distribution lineman experience and 5 as a design engineer on hwy projects the logistics of a project this large start to finish were nothing but amazing . Cheers to everyone involved
I watched a lot and I mean a lot of documentary and even though this one is privately funded for advertising purposes, it one of the best documentary I have seen. Enough technical details for us to understand fully.
Truly impressive project documentary. If only my public education had been as informative, interesting, comprehensive and pragmatic. Nice work Wilson Construction.
Very impressive for sure. And the ultra achievement of finishing ahead of schedule is only surpassed by the cooks that fed these men. I would suspect that the chefs knew the entire crew by name by the end of the second year. I imagine that there were a few injuries here and there, but nothing serious, or the narrator would have mentioned it. Thanks for sharing this with us.
watching that hellicopter pilot thread and pull that line all the way across the route is freaking mind boggling....I am dumb founded at the skill that pilot must have....
Sirmellowman ageeed! Was commenting above one of my best friends did this kind of stuff, he was a retired military pilot starting out in blackhawks, then a short stint in AH64's and then moving to the Little Birds and US Special Forces insertion and close air support. He did it 9 years inserting small SOF teams into insanely dangerous circumstances and then proving close air support with twin Hard mounted mini guns . He left the military and special forces insertion to do private military contract support work, troop insertion and extradition , close air support etc but after 4 years and a mission that ended up nearly having him have to put the bird down over enemy isis controlled territory and having a wife (another best friend of mine) and 3 daughters , the money wasn't worth it. He left and started work doing power line maintenance in rural southern utah and all over Wyoming. He LOvED it and 2 of his crewmen were actually ex military , one was SOF that did close air support form helicopter proving sniper cover form little birds and blackhawks so he felt at home and made an awesome 6 figure income in a relatively SAFE environment. We got a call one day 4 years ago that his radio went dead suddenly and nothing else was known. No sos and no signal showing up on ATC radar. 5.5 hours later they were able to get a medical helicopter out there for a worse case scenario and form miles away saw black smoke from a distance a mile into the sky which indicated burning fuel. They aren't sure what happened because everything instantly fused out and shut down but believe becaue of that he hit a power line. He was working in a canyon for his first time there in southern utah known for its crazy winds and updrafts and think he had a sting updraft while having a maintenance worker strapped in and thenthr pdraft blew out as he was was lowering the helix causing a sudden drop in the helicopter putting it onto of the lines and 120' tot he earth. The serviceman was still strapped into the service chair is why they think that's the case. We miss him and for someone that flew an unbelieveable about of time doing medivac , Troop inshe writing dn ewcovery, close air support and and ultimately US special Forces teMminsertion, extrAction and close air support we were all shocked his life can to an end Doing power line maintenance!? So sad for Lara his amazing wife and their 3 kids. She struggles with it every day becaue she pressured him to leave the military and SOF operations becaue of danger and he made it a very short time doing a "safer" heli-job. We've all tried to tell her her reaction and encouragement to leave was soenthing g ABYONE would have done but she has HD the hardest time and suffered SO much guilt! Really sad. His funeral was amazing, there were 7 HUGE bearded Alpha males they showed up that were crazy intimidating and turned out they were active SOF they had been extracted by josh from life threatening circumstances. One of them told a story of josh bringing in the little bird down into a tiny opening in a grove of trees not much larger diameter than the rotors , to pick up a wounded Green beret and it was ona steep mountainside under taliban fire in Afghanistan. He couldn't land it was so steep and they were worried the rotors would hit the mountainside but josh got it close enough and held it steady for the wounded Berret to mount . When they took off he did 2 green gun runs for those SOF on the ground still making sure he left them a good advantage and on the way back the beret noticed a bullet hole in the glass and asked josh and the copilot about it andjosh said it was nothing and jsut to rest and they'd be back shortly . When he got to base they were putting the SOF on a stretcher and noticed the copilot waving his arms for help, he told the medical personal to stop and sat up and noticed josh was hunched over the stick. They told him it would be taken care of and to relax but feeing such a debt to josh for his insane skilled pickup hillside and ina. Good ovenof treees where he would have be bled out or been killed by the enemy he couldn't leave him hunched over like that waiting for another medical crew so he rolled off the stretcher and said to go pick up josh , they were sonworried sbout this SOF member they tried to get him back on and he grabbed the stretcher and sre ted ya king itnovet himself to thelittle birth. This SOF member was the one that lifted Joshua uncouncsious body out of the pilots seat down to the stretcher , he did it with 6 ak47 bullet wounds to the right thigh, capve, stomach and chest. Josh had been hit in the chest jsut inside his shoulder not far from he heart and imhis kungs wet dfilling with blood but he was so worried about getting his brothers to safety and keeping them from going I to shock that he lied and said he was fine when he was actually bleading out and internally and told the copilot he may black or and to grab the stick if so and make sure this SOF specialist gets home. Was an amazing story to hear and to see this guy who looked invincible and the toughest looking man I've ever seen shed tears telling The story , it had the entire funeral in tears. He took a patch of some dirt and put it on the coffin graveside , not sure what it was but was touching . My point is your comment was perfect and to answer thenskill of these pilots , they are often ex military spicialists and that's often where the skill comes in. Many of the heli-mounted linemen are as well. Skill MOsT can't comprehend!
Was it entirely sure how this landed at my feet I wasn't looking for anything like this but I decided to watch it and I am insanely impressed by the craftsmanship the intelligent thinking and the level of experience that everyone has on that project
I remember watching some of the videos that linemen put on youtube a few years after this project was done. pretty amazing engineering. this doc is also pretty amazing, and i'm glad wilson took the time and the extra money to pay a film crew to document the project
History Channel and Discovery Channel should take note, This is how an informational documentary should be. I miss the old style documentaries without all the snazzy music and camera angles and effects. Repeating the same information every 5 minutes. I loved this. Very interesting and easy to watch. 👍👍👍
Currently an apprentice lineman for Mountain States. Excited to journey out and then take the Alaska JL test. Hope to be doing some badass transmission work like these guys
Awesome Job !!! I am glad to have been part of that project !!!!........From Kyle thru all the lineman and the Wilson Helicopter Mechanics crew the best you can find in the market !!! Fantastic Memory !!!!
andrea, my having some many years ago worked out in the isolated interiors of the Nullarbor Plains in Australia, tells me that in jobs of this kind only the best people were chosen by Wilson Construction to climb aboard this lifetime experience of waiting to commence their skills by each of these well-chosen people. Full credit to the huge crew that accomplished this task of great magnitude. Full credit to Wilson Construction Company for their sharp eye on safety at all times.
There is a powerline behind my house. 30 years ago l came home and saw this little helicopter with a guy sitting on a extended seat, repairing the power lines. NEAT!
I was out back talking to a lineman that was replacing a blown line fuse and transformer fuse and he ended uo recommending me this video after we talked about my interest in this type of stuff. It people like him that are making todays youngsters, the people that are going to keep this world running. He deserves all of the thanks in the world. Props to you sir
Excelente vídeo, aquí no sólo se puede apreciar el profesionalismo sino también el orgullo de hacer ése trabajo difícil y de transformar lo complicado en simple ,y se logra aplicando organización, compañerismo y voluntad. Saludos desde Argentina.
32:11 Balls of f'ing steel... Everything about that situation wants to snag that needle... The entire project was one hell of an operation. Every man (and woman) on the job played an important role in keeping that well oiled machine purring like a kitten. Bravo people.
Wow! 🤯 mind officially BLOWN! I lived in Valdez, Anchorage, and Fairbanks as a kid in the 70’s; my father worked on the Alaska pipeline. I always thought that was a complex and incredible engineering problem, but this!!! Wow🤯🤯🤯🤯 Great documentary!
Wow im honestly impressed with how informative and direct this video is.. Really great film making! You guys should look into doing documentaries on the side apparently haha
If you ever want to hire an army veteran that lives in Georgia, has always wanted to be a lineman, absolutely willing to move, start at the bottom and prove my work ethic .......just let me know! I would absolutely love this type of work. Excellent job guys, was truly amazing.
Great video. Very informative and interesting. Watched the entire video in one sitting. Good narrating as well. What would have made this video 10/10 is if they used sketches to show how the pilots had to make the difficult and precise connections with the wiring. Everything else was amazing
So awesome to see the final completed project that we manufactured in Pennsylvania. Hats off to all my fellow Pen Summit Tubular workers that helped build the towers!!
NOW WHEN WE THE GENERAL PUBLIC tour or have trips to the great Alaska wildness and still feel the conveniences of modern life, thank those heroic engineers, pilots, contractors, etc who helped built the powerlines!
I am a 30 year ARMY Helicopter pilot. I've done some crazy stuff in my career. But this is way out of the box. Congrats to Wilson for making the video. And a congrats to all the crews that flew the helos… and the crews that stepped on them!!
Where you from
Live in Aiken SC@@Shannon-of7mp
Thanks for service for the country you served for.
Amazing.
Thank you for your service sir Happy New year 😊
I love this. A documentary for grown people with attention spans.
Don’t even know how this got on my recommended but I’m really glad it did 😂 ended up watching the whole thing. Really good documentary.
Agreed
same hear
⁸⁷
Same lol pretty fascinating project and 1st hand look at how much goes into it.
You took all the words right out of my mouth
I come across this every now and again. I often stop and watch it, wishing I were a younger man and could have had a part. I bet they saw things nobody else will ever see.
That scene with the sock line pilot in the blue chopper doing the pull through with the "needle" made my butt pucker. "Ferocious concentration" may be the understatement of the decade.
I couldn't stop saying, that's freaking insane, during that part... just wow
I smiled from ear to ear when that old Navy Tender was restored for service in this group.
I LOVE seeing retired military equipment repurposed for other uses. It's a huge exercise in resource conservation, and it's almost poetic in a way. Military equipment being used for peaceful, even humanitarian, reasons.
:)
I love the IDEAL of it but ultimately it’s used as a way to back door a few of the “gray area” ones until that slope gets slippery enough for what we currently have landsliding our way. Lots of great thoughts tut into…. something terrifying. Uncomfortable example: Our Great Nation. Yep. I said it. Yep. I stand by it.
Well, that's one at least. Some of the naval 'storage' docks stretch to the horizon.
One of THE best documentaries I have EVER watched. Not to mention that the video and sound were perfect. Now that is how it SHOULD be done. My sincere thanks to whom engineered this documentary.
Agree 100% - it was REALLY well done.
Building these power lines looks like it was done on the roughest terrain in the most miserable weather conditions. Respect to all of those responsible for this build, you certainly earned your money on this one.
If you think that was crazy you should see the video on making the Alaskan Pipeline ahead of its deadline.
Now that im 62 and a layman in everything I find these projects fascinating. I have a profound respect for the ingenuity and skill that went into this. Proud to be an American.
Amen
This is what documentaries should be. No dramatization needed
Dramatization?!?!
Pretty shallow pool of actors for this kind of shit!
Real people working together for one common goal. Outstanding documentary.
I'm not entirely sure how this video landed on my feed, but I watched the whole thing and was amazed. Nice work!
Same
Same here. Wish it was longer
Found this video quite by accident. Absolutely fascinating. Just the logistics alone is daunting. Having to deal with bureaucracy and government BS just makes it near impossible, if not frustrating. THEN there's dealing with and overcoming the Alaskan weather and wilderness. Amazing job and amazing documentation. Great video.
I know, as hard as it looks, it seems like they did it pretty fast and easy, since they were so professional.
In a world chock full of screw ups, it's nice to see competence and drive to do things right...I'm a remodeling contractor for 3 decades...I get stressed over a kitchen remodel...:)...As you stated; the logistics staggers me...
ROB-IN-PHILLY Amen sir
@Marc Johansson Having grown up as a young boy on a homestead in Alaska, moving elsewhere with the military, then spending the last 50 years in California... I have an appreciation for the comparative environments that these guys could have been facing. In Alaska, they worked together for a viable solution; in California the forces in control here will find a way to stop nearly any project! It's a pitiful state of affairs that shows no signs of improving.
Some would say "Aw no way I could do all this one handed". If you really understand (as you do Capn Pete) it's mind boggling complex and even more difficult.
Im a distribution lineman, but it never ceases to amaze me the places and areas that transmission lines travel through....its truly a feat of engineering and hard work when u take the time to actually see how far and where these lines actually go....just something to think about when u turn on ur lights next time (especially if u live in an extremely rural area such as this)
This was extremely satisfying to watch and great narrator made it even more so.
AmpliDefy
I was tuned in since the beginning 💯👌
I loved reading and looking at the photos and material you have. I spent two and a half years in service in the air force in Alaska. Darrel Rivenbark
78
@@familyfree2994 in 8
8
Them boys that cleared the right-of-way did a lot of walking and felling. Big thumbs up. That was a large J_O_B.
I saw the swath cleared and wondered ...how? That is some amazing(not a big enough word) engineering. All that to bring power to a little burg on the strait. Doesn't matter that it doesn't "pay". It's like space travel, you do it because you can. The payoff is that it can be done. I've seen some power line work with helos along cook inlet when I was visiting there. A light touch and ferocious concentration. This guy is such a good narrator. Hey kids, do like to do bad ass stuff? Like to rock climb? Do crazy stuff with your bike? Check into this kind of work. If you fear mosquitoes well, that might be a problem . The great weather portended the climate change(maybe short lived OK?) that we are still enduring in 2020.
100%!
I used to work for Washington State's DNR (Department of Natural Resources) and it was part of my job to keep those access/service roads clear. I've since gone to school for Computer Science and Engineering and tbh, I really want to just get into electrical work on one of these helicopters. I would love doing stuff like this, ua-cam.com/video/DPNK7bc2qvM/v-deo.html
Hats off to all those involved. What an incredible accomplishment.
Absolutely crazy, those helicopter pilots, the linemen, and the whole crew overall..including "we'll make a chair for you to sit in, while you pull the repair piece in place, and make the splices", as someone who has worked a bit in this industry, although not a scale anywhere near what these guys are doing in this, it is mind-blowing they were able to complete this without several accidents happening..and that is just planning and dedication and teamwork.
Real people working together for one common goal. Outstanding documentary.. Hats off to all those involved. What an incredible accomplishment..
Dont know how i found this but thas one of the best documentaries ive ever seen.
No music, no drama, just informations. Good job
What an adventure. Great narration by Mike Falconer. And no rotten music ruining a fantastic video. Good no serious accident.
PS, once, our squad, two at a time, were extracted by riding on the Loach skids like that in the land where
Puff the Magic Dragon frolicked.
Thanks for showing. The best documentary I've seen.
It's amazing what can be achieved when people work together as opposed to against one another
That and the workers have a respect for the environment they work in, and a passion for their work. Might be the secret recipe for humans.
Congress in Washington should watch this and learn how to get along with one another.
They still wouldn't get it.
Very well said;-)
@@robertfusselman8108 ,🙏i🙏🔥🔥🎉
Sadly I have to admit.... I've been passing over this video for several years since I first noticed it on UA-cam. My apologies to you ALL!! This was a well presented and awesome presentation of a daunting task. I've been around logging, sawmills, hydro-electric sites, and refineries all my life.... and now kicking myself for not watching sooner!!! "Stay Home, Stay Safe" does have some benefits! Y'all be safe out there! Best wishes to all in these challenging times! Skagit Ed
As a former heavy engineer I can appreciate every last drop of sweat, determination and nut and bolt that went into this project. An outstanding job and I don't care what those guys earn, it isn't enough, to bring energy to so many. Great vid.
I'm sure they made enough lol
@@CTA2ADthey earned enough
I fucking love documentaries like this. Simple, to the point. Absolutely NO dramatic filler, staged or choreographed nonsense. No overdramatizing the situation or exaggerating the insanity of it. Just straight to the point with solid imagery and narration. Enjoyed it a lot. Documentary I watched other day would have played up the tension of the men approaching in the helicopter, played a ringing alarm in cockpit as a near death escape. Presenting the laying of the first pole as a momentous occasion. ETC. hahah
A very excellent documentary. This documentary had no contrived emergencies, no last minute pending disasters, you know the routine. Very good and straightforward.
Watching this, shaking my head in amazement! Rick, balls of steel! The rest of the crew, I cannot imagine the hard, dangerous and dedicated tasks all of you did! I salute every single one of you! We that flip a switch assume the power will ALWAYS be there and without all of you folks in this industry, well you know........................Many Thanks!
You’re welcome sir.
Tom Flynn, well said.
This was one of the best docs I have seen in years. I wanted more at the end haha. Came away with a great appreciation of this dangerous work and the amazing skill of the lineman and especially the PILOTS who never cease to amaze me at how easy they make those prolonged hovers look✊🏻🍻
I just had to disable ad-block on this video. Watched it twice and can highly recommend it to others. This is how you make a documentary!
What a flood of memories! Camaraderie never rusts! Kyle is hard as nails, but you ve got to be tough when you lead from the front! Under his leadership this project was completed ahead of schedule and with out any incident or injury. The weather for the 9 days of the sky crane was a decent break but everything else was a due to proper job planning and hard work. Rest in peace KO and beck
some of it was stopped due to legal bs at the beginning
Were you part of the project, Casey?
Who are KO and Beck?
speaking of rust, am I the only one worried about those steel poles being placed without any coating? They surely will rust away in 20 years?!
KO was an inspector. He has since passed away. Beck was a pilot, who has also passed away since this project. Ghost rider was another pilot that worked on this project. He has also passed away.
Congratulations to a smart, tough, skilled and determined crew.
Hard Chargers.
Thank you.
This felt like an old 70s and earlier teaching/instruction video. I thought it was gonna be boring but I watched the whole thing in enjoyment. Great job!
Working in heavy industry too, that narrators voice did sound like one of those safety videos we were made to watch. But no cheesy music is good.
I could watch videos like this all day, erry day.
Those skycranes have to be the coolest non-military helicopters out there
Damn proud to be an apprentice lineman, im a fellow oregon boy great job wilson construction !!!
@@aljoseph8053 I'm damn proud to be an American, but I'm from Oregon, that is where Wilson construction is from in case you aren't in the trade !!!
@@TheNWSCOTT CONFUSING!
Al Joseph, My former husband whom passed away was a building contractor in New Iberia Louisiana his name was Allison (Al)Joseph Delahoussaye. I pray his identity is not being used💔
@@aljoseph8053 no worries
I feel pride being part of the electrical industry here in the PNW . what a project !
37:55 "The volunteer chosen for the job..." Lmao! Been volun-told before, myself. Hang in there, Rick!
and i know the pilot that flew him mr rocky best training guy in the world
Yea! Get the new guy to do it!
To be fair thats a pretty fucking awesome thing to be able to do, I would have volunteered for that too. Maybe a bunch of people wanted to do it and he just got lucky?
might've earned two stripes that day
somalis is advanced countrey and smarts!
This was great to watch. glad there are workers this skilled so that we have lots of power.
That ship is such an awesome setup. A few barges with tons of equipment and helicopters, two pads on the top of the ship with a machine shop located inside! Owning that ship would be a dream, you could go anywhere and operate.
I do not remember how I got started watching this video. But man, what a group of STUDLY MEN!! Made me proud to be an American to see this mammoth and dangerous scale of work so professionally an ably completed. Just damn!!!
Now this is how you make a documentary!!!
deereboy8400 agreed SO much information and SO clearly communicated I. Perfect order and condensed to minimal time!! Couldn have learned more in less time !!!
Have you seen any documentaries before? ???
@@salvagemonster3612 Stupid comment.
@@dogukangunzutt l
@@salvagemonster3612 very good question indeed!
Very interesting video - nicely done and the narrator has an excellent voice
VERY nicely said, not to mention the fabulous absence of 'doom and gloom drama' . I would watch anything this guy, Mike Falconer, narrated . :--)))))))))))
No truer words ever spoken - compare to a Discovery Channel production..."OMG! THE FEAR! THE POTENTIAL OF DEATH WITH EACH BREATH!!!! ...WHEW! Well they made it THAT time....BUT WAIT! MORE (unnecessary) DRAMA COMING UP AFTER THESE MESSAGES!!!"
Bert Clayton what are you saying?
@Bert Clayton , got proof of those accusations?
@@prepperjonpnw6482 I believe he's suggesting that companies should work for no profit and not cut down any trees.
EXCELLENT video - highest production standards - great script / narration - WOW
JR
The weird wind noise that seemed to come and go without reason was a bit annoying. The editor should have caught that. But still a great documentary.
Great documentary, all information and no nonsense added. As a retired construction worker who set units with Erickson and Midwest, I truly appreciate the preparation but most of all the skills of the pilots and lineman.
What a an incredible testament to the engineering, design, and execution of the companies involved. The flying was also unbelievable, and not to mention no-one was injured in the entire job (as far as was shown, anyway). I had no idea as to the complexity it took to plan & install power lines in these remote locations.
Great airmanship & program management on this!!!
I am a retired US Military Blackhawk Pilot (26+ years, I also have 10+ years of flying EMS single pilot. I do have time flying longline. With this said, My hat is off to these Pilots. There is NO WAY I would ever attempt to do what they do. The skill and concentration and precision required is crazy dangerous. Fly safe guys. I am professionally officially retired. No more fricken check rides for this fella. Fly safe and I really hope they pay you all that you are worth! I wouldnt give it a second thought to do what they do for less than $180,000 a year. .
$150k to $180k is the annual going rate for hydro and oil pilots here in Alberta,Canada. They deserve no less, very dangerous job.
What was the Blackhawk like when flying it ?
Theresa Pitts .
@@petewehe1916 ?
My job required me to ride in the back of Blackhawks for a few years. Much respect and gratitude for the incredible pilots that got us in and out of situations safely and with mad skills. Excellent pilots with nerves of steel and balls of titanium never left us hanging with our d#%ks swinging in the wind. I can honestly say I’m alive today because of one of those pilots.
Against orders he came back to get me rather than leave me to die alone without my mates. I will always be grateful for all of the days I’ve had since that day.
What a great documentary. I couldn't stop watching. This is how a documentary should be made.
As a substation/transmission estimator I would LOVE to see the data behind the amount of time in estimating and the numbers on this project, man hours, costs of each labor type, mobilization costs, margins, management structure, logistics, etc. The data from this project is priceless.
Awesome documentary !
Congratulations to Wilson Construction for finishing AHEAD of schedule and doing so perfectly with no accidents nor injuries and all the while being above compliant with regards to environmental parameters !
A Great American Company !
Warmest Regards from Arizona
STAGED CAR CRASH IN MAY 2017 STOLEN PROPERTY & MAIL
COMPLETELY ROBBED💯💯💯
Fantastic work, great to see the teams in action and how focused they are on safety and the environment!
This was a pretty cool watch. With 20 years of distribution lineman experience and 5 as a design engineer on hwy projects the logistics of a project this large start to finish were nothing but amazing . Cheers to everyone involved
Impressive on all levels very talented individuals who deserve respect
I watched a lot and I mean a lot of documentary and even though this one is privately funded for advertising purposes, it one of the best documentary I have seen. Enough technical details for us to understand fully.
CORRUPT MARKETING ENTERPRISE FRAUD & MAJOR GLOBAL ENTERPRISE CORRUPT SOFTWARE TAKEOVER & MONEY LAUNDERING
ROBBERY💯
Truly impressive project documentary. If only my public education had been as informative, interesting, comprehensive and pragmatic. Nice work Wilson Construction.
Amazing. Brilliant. Thanks. From the UK
One of the more interesting documentaries i have seen that is important for the future.
Im glad y'all had the foresight too record all this while building it. Absolutely awesome
Very impressive for sure. And the ultra achievement of finishing ahead of schedule is only surpassed by the cooks that fed these men. I would suspect that the chefs knew the entire crew by name by the end of the second year. I imagine that there were a few injuries here and there, but nothing serious, or the narrator would have mentioned it. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Gotta say that woulda been a awesome project to be on
watching that hellicopter pilot thread and pull that line all the way across the route is freaking mind boggling....I am dumb founded at the skill that pilot must have....
Sirmellowman ageeed! Was commenting above one of my best friends did this kind of stuff, he was a retired military pilot starting out in blackhawks, then a short stint in AH64's and then moving to the Little Birds and US Special Forces insertion and close air support. He did it 9 years inserting small SOF teams into insanely dangerous circumstances and then proving close air support with twin Hard mounted mini guns . He left the military and special forces insertion to do private military contract support work, troop insertion and extradition , close air support etc but after 4 years and a mission that ended up nearly having him have to put the bird down over enemy isis controlled territory and having a wife (another best friend of mine) and 3 daughters , the money wasn't worth it. He left and started work doing power line maintenance in rural southern utah and all over Wyoming. He LOvED it and 2 of his crewmen were actually ex military , one was SOF that did close air support form helicopter proving sniper cover form little birds and blackhawks so he felt at home and made an awesome 6 figure income in a relatively SAFE environment.
We got a call one day 4 years ago that his radio went dead suddenly and nothing else was known. No sos and no signal showing up on ATC radar. 5.5 hours later they were able to get a medical helicopter out there for a worse case scenario and form miles away saw black smoke from a distance a mile into the sky which indicated burning fuel. They aren't sure what happened because everything instantly fused out and shut down but believe becaue of that he hit a power line. He was working in a canyon for his first time there in southern utah known for its crazy winds and updrafts and think he had a sting updraft while having a maintenance worker strapped in and thenthr pdraft blew out as he was was lowering the helix causing a sudden drop in the helicopter putting it onto of the lines and 120' tot he earth. The serviceman was still strapped into the service chair is why they think that's the case. We miss him and for someone that flew an unbelieveable about of time doing medivac , Troop inshe writing dn ewcovery, close air support and and ultimately US special Forces teMminsertion, extrAction and close air support we were all shocked his life can to an end Doing power line maintenance!? So sad for Lara his amazing wife and their 3 kids. She struggles with it every day becaue she pressured him to leave the military and SOF operations becaue of danger and he made it a very short time doing a "safer" heli-job. We've all tried to tell her her reaction and encouragement to leave was soenthing g ABYONE would have done but she has HD the hardest time and suffered SO much guilt! Really sad. His funeral was amazing, there were 7 HUGE bearded Alpha males they showed up that were crazy intimidating and turned out they were active SOF they had been extracted by josh from life threatening circumstances. One of them told a story of josh bringing in the little bird down into a tiny opening in a grove of trees not much larger diameter than the rotors , to pick up a wounded Green beret and it was ona steep mountainside under taliban fire in Afghanistan. He couldn't land it was so steep and they were worried the rotors would hit the mountainside but josh got it close enough and held it steady for the wounded Berret to mount . When they took off he did 2 green gun runs for those SOF on the ground still making sure he left them a good advantage and on the way back the beret noticed a bullet hole in the glass and asked josh and the copilot about it andjosh said it was nothing and jsut to rest and they'd be back shortly . When he got to base they were putting the SOF on a stretcher and noticed the copilot waving his arms for help, he told the medical personal to stop and sat up and noticed josh was hunched over the stick. They told him it would be taken care of and to relax but feeing such a debt to josh for his insane skilled pickup hillside and ina. Good ovenof treees where he would have be bled out or been killed by the enemy he couldn't leave him hunched over like that waiting for another medical crew so he rolled off the stretcher and said to go pick up josh , they were sonworried sbout this SOF member they tried to get him back on and he grabbed the stretcher and sre ted ya king itnovet himself to thelittle birth. This SOF member was the one that lifted Joshua uncouncsious body out of the pilots seat down to the stretcher , he did it with 6 ak47 bullet wounds to the right thigh, capve, stomach and chest. Josh had been hit in the chest jsut inside his shoulder not far from he heart and imhis kungs wet dfilling with blood but he was so worried about getting his brothers to safety and keeping them from going I to shock that he lied and said he was fine when he was actually bleading out and internally and told the copilot he may black or and to grab the stick if so and make sure this SOF specialist gets home. Was an amazing story to hear and to see this guy who looked invincible and the toughest looking man I've ever seen shed tears telling The story , it had the entire funeral in tears. He took a patch of some dirt and put it on the coffin graveside , not sure what it was but was touching .
My point is your comment was perfect and to answer thenskill of these pilots , they are often ex military spicialists and that's often where the skill comes in. Many of the heli-mounted linemen are as well. Skill MOsT can't comprehend!
Absolutely love this video.... Watched it multiple times.... Love these epic projects
Was it entirely sure how this landed at my feet I wasn't looking for anything like this but I decided to watch it and I am insanely impressed by the craftsmanship the intelligent thinking and the level of experience that everyone has on that project
As a retired lineman I truly enjoyed the story. At the time I didn’t realize how privileged I was. I miss it!
Only if Congress would work as hard as these men/women to get people what they need! Enjoyable video and narration.
I remember watching some of the videos that linemen put on youtube a few years after this project was done. pretty amazing engineering. this doc is also pretty amazing, and i'm glad wilson took the time and the extra money to pay a film crew to document the project
Pretty cool learning about this in documentary that wasn't dry & boring. A great job done by all!
Refreshingly free of what we "down-under" call Yank hype. This was superbly put together; kudos to all concerned.
not much yank hype in alaska, they are too pragmatic
What an incredible project.... great video.. could've watched that for another couple of hours
History Channel and Discovery Channel should take note, This is how an informational documentary should be. I miss the old style documentaries without all the snazzy music and camera angles and effects. Repeating the same information every 5 minutes. I loved this. Very interesting and easy to watch. 👍👍👍
Remarkable men doing incredible work, hats off to them all.
Currently an apprentice lineman for Mountain States. Excited to journey out and then take the Alaska JL test. Hope to be doing some badass transmission work like these guys
Awesome Job !!! I am glad to have been part of that project !!!!........From Kyle thru all the lineman and the Wilson Helicopter Mechanics crew the best you can find in the market !!! Fantastic Memory !!!!
Wonder if making solar pv installation on the town would be comparable to building and using power line in terms of cost.
Did you miss the part about 153" of rainfall per year?
That's awesome; you should be proud; hopefully you're still working...
Solar is the second worse "alternative energy" beaten only by Wind...
andrea, my having some many years ago worked out in the isolated interiors of the Nullarbor Plains in Australia, tells me that in jobs of this kind only the best people were chosen by Wilson Construction to climb aboard this lifetime experience of waiting to commence their skills by each of these well-chosen people. Full credit to the huge crew that accomplished this task of great magnitude. Full credit to Wilson Construction Company for their sharp eye on safety at all times.
I love this documentary. I have watched it about 10 times now. Sometimes I fall asleep listening at night.
"Today's safety brief: Bears. They haven't traditionally been a problem, but watch your step because we all know what they do in the woods......."
There is a powerline behind my house. 30 years ago l came home and saw this little helicopter with a guy sitting on a extended seat, repairing the power lines. NEAT!
This was EXCELLENT! I Actually learnd a few things that I had NO idea even existed!!! Thank you for sharing this vid!
I was out back talking to a lineman that was replacing a blown line fuse and transformer fuse and he ended uo recommending me this video after we talked about my interest in this type of stuff. It people like him that are making todays youngsters, the people that are going to keep this world running. He deserves all of the thanks in the world. Props to you sir
Excelente vídeo, aquí no sólo se puede apreciar el profesionalismo sino también el orgullo de hacer ése trabajo difícil y de transformar lo complicado en simple ,y se logra aplicando organización, compañerismo y voluntad. Saludos desde Argentina.
Excellent documentary; superb narrator.
32:11 Balls of f'ing steel... Everything about that situation wants to snag that needle... The entire project was one hell of an operation. Every man (and woman) on the job played an important role in keeping that well oiled machine purring like a kitten. Bravo people.
didn't really see any women swinging from helicopters but I guess cooking the food is important too.
Wow! 🤯 mind officially BLOWN! I lived in Valdez, Anchorage, and Fairbanks as a kid in the 70’s; my father worked on the Alaska pipeline. I always thought that was a complex and incredible engineering problem, but this!!! Wow🤯🤯🤯🤯
Great documentary!
Wow im honestly impressed with how informative and direct this video is.. Really great film making! You guys should look into doing documentaries on the side apparently haha
cheers to that. What a great hour spent watching this :)
Excellent documentary with clear narration.
If you ever want to hire an army veteran that lives in Georgia, has always wanted to be a lineman, absolutely willing to move, start at the bottom and prove my work ethic .......just let me know! I would absolutely love this type of work.
Excellent job guys, was truly amazing.
Great video. Very informative and interesting. Watched the entire video in one sitting. Good narrating as well. What would have made this video 10/10 is if they used sketches to show how the pilots had to make the difficult and precise connections with the wiring. Everything else was amazing
I am so glad this showed up in my feed
What a wonderful project! Most brave workers of all.
WOW, I am truly impressed. Those guys are the REAL HEROS, all my respect to the crews that risk life and limb for others benefit.
wow, I'm impressed, I have buddies that are linemen and most definitely will share this with them.. cudos to Wilson .. phenomenal job an video
This documentary is an absolute breath of fresh air! Just wow!
TOP NOTCH WORK! (both in workmanship, as well as film)
this is no cap the best documentary that I have seen in my life
Awesome video guys. It was well put together great narration really informative a job well done.
As a technician,it was so absorbing.
I love Alaska, I moved here 4 years ago and never looked back. Truly the best state, in my opinion.
Afar: And the mosquitos mean some serious business in Alaska.
So awesome to see the final completed project that we manufactured in Pennsylvania. Hats off to all my fellow Pen Summit Tubular workers that helped build the towers!!
watching that helicopter pull that line like that is one of the most mind blowing things I have ever seen...
I had no idea anything like that could be done. If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it!
I enjoyed every minute of this documentary. Very well done. Thanks.
NOW WHEN WE THE GENERAL PUBLIC tour or have trips to the great Alaska wildness and still feel the conveniences of modern life, thank those heroic engineers, pilots, contractors, etc who helped built the powerlines!