Helicopter Tower Stacking
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- Опубліковано 9 сер 2021
- POV of setting the final section of a 400' tower in Ohio via helicopter. For more information on Midwest Helicopter Airways, Inc. Visit:
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I’m just in absolute awe of the helicopter pilots skills
The weather seemed very calm too.
Team effort. We have our own radioman on the tower to communicate to the helicopter and tower crew.
Practic in GTA 5
My knees are shaky just watching! 😎✌️
@@Midwesthelicopter Pilot went for education, these men haging on are low iq men. Massive respect for pilot
The way the helicopter pilot lays that tower down with pinpoint accuracy is amazing. Those workers have balls of steel too
Team effort
Took the words right out of my mouth.......Balls of steel............
Having been a helicopter pilot in the military for the better part of 30 years, these guys are VERY skilled, amazing work.
By chance do yunno what kind of helicopter that is?
@@civmike You know, that is a really good question. I have no idea. Now I am searching to see if I can't find it.
@@civmike Found it, it's a Sikorksy S-58T
@@3073Sean awesome, thank you.
@@lillyspops I appreciate it.
Retired helicopter pilot here. Done my share of external load work, but nothing like this. So much precision, and such prolonged concentration. Tired me out just watching. Serious skill and talent. Gotta admire the guys on the tower, too. It takes a lot of mental discipline to overcome the native fear of heights and still do the job. Hats off to all.
Never did tower stuff, but quite a few drill moves in my day. And like you said, precision work is exhausting for a pilot(especially with an inexperienced ground crew) however, it’s by far the most rewarding type of helicopter work. Best lift job I’ve seen by a pilot was some dude in a 206L with a 100ft long line move an ATV out the side of a Twin Otter inches away from the wing flaps, with little to no help on the ground. He walked that quad out like a newborn puppy, using an old clapped out Longdog 😂
When ppl say they were helicopter pilots i assume they are savvy because they survived their whole career without getting killed. Looks Dangerous!!!
the hight is not the issue. The mental problem is "what could go wrong with a partly fixed segment" or simply the segment dangling the tower due to a problem in the helicopters engine. it may cause the complete tower to collapse.
In my experience it’s a fear of falling, not a fear of hights
I assume they have an engineer working the rig and guiding him like for sea rescue because he can't see below, but I might be wrong.
These are the guys that should making more then a guy shooting a basketball or hitting a baseball...
Absolutely right.
100% fact right there brother
Add teachers into the mix.
@@adamr149 but exclude the liberal CRT teachers
@@adamr149 sounds like you must have had the same experience with teachers that I have. Mostly liberal college professors.
I’m just impressed an engineer was able to design a tower strong enough to support the weight of their balls.
Right!!!
support the weight of their balls? yuh got me laughin' Good one.
Expected a rush from the height, but the threat of getting fingers smashed was equally terrifying.
and it bout happened too….. its a constant hazard… and it happens more than it ought to… I’ve seen some gnarly accidents that literally made me dry heave just seeing it…. ive seen digits and limbs operating perfectly and in an instant gone forever… careers done…. I nearly got a dose on many occasions but non as close as handling a precast slab concrete wall 7 inches thick, 10ft wide, and 80 ft tall as we guided it into place and just got my hand out in the nick of time as it nudged into the existing piece we had just set…. I turned to look to see if anyone saw it and the guy on the radio guiding the rig and the piece in was shaking his head as he was keyed up on the mic steady talking to the crane op… he knew as did I that it was a ucnt’s hair from being a very bad day. Situational awareness with occupations like these are nothing short of hyper focused to paint a pic…. Everywhere you step, turn, bend over, raise up, is a potential life ending mistake.
I had the Kahunas in my younger days, but I got too comfortable and cocky. I was changing an aircraft warning light at a 160' and I lost my footing. My lifeline saved my butt. Once I pulled myself back up I had hugged that pole with dear life for about 45 mins before I could start my decent back down. I had lost that edge forever. Hats off to you guys and I hope they are paying you well.
So tell everyone what happens when you fall, and your line attached to your harness grabs you and stops the fall. (ie your junk) Because I fell from about 20 feet, And it wasn't something I'd ever want to experience ever again. Thankfully there was a lead man there that had taken the "After Fall" training and what to do till they can get your feet back on the ground or back on a solid surface. Because hanging there can be just as deadly and you can actually lose your legs due to lose of blood flow.
@@Pyle81 Sounds like a badly designed harness.
@@aluisiousope just pretty much every single harness when you drop 20 feet and then finally lose slack
Lol... not laughing at ya, laughing at how you put it. Dude you done way better than I would of. If that were me, I'd of passed out until I was found hanging by the lifeline by someone. Seriously though, I could never even try something like this, I'd never make it past 100 feet then begged to get back down. Heights scare the piss out of me for some reason I can't even explain.
@@aluisious Every single harness cuts blood flow. You're literally hanging with your entire body weight, pinching where the harness sits.
I could never do that job. Mad respect to all of you.
Why are you mad?
@@grumpyg9350 ok boomer
@@grumpyg9350 I think the term "mad respect" is English for "true respect and admiration for".
I'd be dropping all the nuts..
It's not bad, pays the bill..In time you get used to it...
Hovering is the HARDEST thing to do in a helicopter ,let alone out of ground effect and with that heavy sling load. To be able to set that tower pieced down with such precision so quickly was amazing. Guy could have lost a hand or fingers pulling that cable through. Well done guys.
The pucker factor at 5:17 was very real. Such an unassuming moment yet the chance of losing his hand was so present.
As an old helicopter pilot, I can tell you that this is no easy job. Whether placing towers or inserting troops or working in the medical field as an EMS Pilot, there is no easy way to say it. It takes nerves to do this job. My hat is off to these guys and especially the ones on the tower. They were perfectly calm and trusted the Pilot completely. Good job Gentleman!
Respect for these guys. I worked for a tower company. Started as ground man getting everything together to be roped up. I learned how to tie all kinds of different knots and hitches. Once I was in training for climbing the tower they say 60 ft is the point of no return. If you can get the 60 you can go to a thousand I just couldn't get up to 60 . And it's not just climbing you have to carry a hundred pounds of tools and ropes everything else with you. Through wind freezing rain ice all kinds of craziness.
I used to encapsulate and pressure wash/ sandblast and paint water towers, inside and out. I know your pain but at the time I was a bit younger and had tons of energy. Climbing up 150ft with safety rope, 3/8 steel cable, and hardware really is a strenuous activity. Every tower, I was the first man up and the last man down when the job was completed. I would never just drop the safety line and steel cable as the necessity of keeping equipment in safe and operable condition from job to job was necessary. So yeah, both climbing up and climbing down with safety gear and all necessary hardware is a pain but one I enjoyed and I'm quite thankful for the experience. Thank you for even attempting such a task, you're also respected.
I've climbed and done tower work up to about 400 feet. Anything after 70 feet just gives you more time to contemplate your mistake while falling...so don't make that mistake. Actually I kind of enjoyed it, but what a workout! Climb on Monday, go to the shop and don't move on Tuesday. Wednesday you start to feel human again.
60 is an interesting point, I think perception is that below that point, falling is probably survivable but painful and over that you're going to die, so screw it.
At the end of the day youre just climbing a latter and attaching/taking apart things. Its all in how big your balls are. unless you too fat
did this guys hav like big salary or normal
I climb standard utility poles for a living, 45-75ft high is plenty for me, ya'll boys have fun.
That’s 40-70 feet higher than me you have fun too.
I climb into bed...that's high enough for me.
A fall from that height will kill you just the same.
I smoke weed, that’s high enough for me
@@Alex-lc1bv I 100% know it will, it's just that my hindbrain isn't getting the message.
Wow, props! I am safety coordinator for a construction company in WA and I am impressed with how you guys were doing this. Obviously it's a high risk job and you all take safety very seriously. At that height every tool has a tool lanyard like your spud bar and helmets have chin straps like they should!! Very impressive! Keep up the good work.
Years of experience, but we are always learning and improving our techniques
For these guys it doesn't look like a high risk job. They are pros.
As a former USAF helo mechanic, the most impressive thing for me is you're use of the old H-34 (Sikorsky designation S-58) Choctaw helicopter. I presume that is the more "modern" version with the turboshaft engine (versus the original reciprocating piston engine). Those pigs have been around since the 50s when they were first used by the Navy and Marine Corps.
For its time it was a great utilitarian chopper. Great piece of American aviation history. Really cool.
They are the Turbine conversion. We have been operating them for years. Great aircraft, ideal for this work.
Using the cable to pull the tower into alignment is brilliant.
We have developed multiple custom tools for these types of jobs. Always learning and improving however. Thanks for watching.
@@Midwesthelicopter This job could be done with only one guy on the tower. If you ask me how, I'll explain it to you. You guys missed something fairly obvious.
@@yekutielbenheshel354 I see that it’s been a month and no one gives a shit.
@@yekutielbenheshel354 i don't know about laws in the US in regards to this. But from what I know it shouldn't be allowed to just send a single guy up there for construction work (different from maintenance). If the worker becomes unconscious for some reason or suffers any injury he will not be able to get down by himself but requires two additional people to help with the rescue.
@@yekutielbenheshel354 Sigh . . . another UA-cam genius.
I did this for many years in Southeast Alaska at high public safety communication sites. My main Commtrain Osha certified climber was Todd Harding out of Wrangell, AK. He had no fear. While watching this my heart rate jumped up and palms got sweaty. The pilot was superb and could really hold a steady hover. One thing you can't see is the blast freezing rotor wash. A lot of prep on the ground as far as balancing the bridles, tag lines, " what if's thought out. Great video. Todd passed unexpectedly last year and I dedicate this video to him and all the memories. When he was nervous he'd be talking my ear off and I'd had to tell him to shut up so I could concentrate. When he'd do something goofy I'd tell him to knock it off and if got hurt his Mother would kill me...
My condolences friend.. may Todd Rest In Peace for he has made his final climb up to the pearly gates 🫡🙏
@@zacha8934 or he went to hell, no one really knows.
@@awemowe2830 Since heaven and hell are a bizarre fairytale, he didn't go to either. He simply doesn't exist anymore...
@@awemowe2830 @Awemowe @Billy Mack, Texas Detective You know, there's a time and a place chief, and this ain't it.
Me too, I did it in the Midwest. Brought back the smell and feeling of being up there in the cold air.
These men deserve every dollar they get, and then some!
the amount of trust you have to have for that helicopter pilot. just unreal
im currently finishing up my helicopter pilot stuff, as a newbie i cant imagine the skill and technique required for the precision that pilot has, especially with PEOPLE LITERALLY INCHES from where he is long lining the tower pieces to, super crazy stuff
Yea I was going to say, props to that helicopter pilot that must take a crazy amount of skill.
hell I'm a certified SUAS pilot, which is NOTHING in the world of aviation specialists.. but I've had to do a lot of interesting clientele work lately that involved "some" precision. this in itself is freaking nuts to me. Anyone masterful at their job makes it look so unbelievably effortless.
Any idea on how much money a pilot would make doing this type stuff
@@babyfarksmgeezaks1037 it depends on what your flying+ how experienced you are, this type of job well into 50$-90$ an hour, it takes maybe 5+ years to get there maybe longer unless you are working your ass off.
That pilot has some serious skills
Team effort! thanks for watching.
Everyone involved does. Amazed
Helicopter guy must always have the feeling of needing to sneeze but not being able to
My palms is sweating and my head is spinning and my knees are weak from watching this.
And I am sitting on a Lazy Boy.
Utmost respect for these guys.
That is a damn fine pilot. Kudos.
@@My_Fair_Lady Because I'm a pretty good one myself. Happy flying!
For real! Smooth AF!!!!
Top1% for both pilots and erectors I’m guessing. I wonder where one could find statistics for who applies for these jobs? race ,sex nationality etc ?
@@My_Fair_Lady Yes, so I claim. You have a good day.
MAN,,,, THAT TAKES SOME BIG ONES. WHAT A JOB.
The level of trust between pilot and crew on the tower is incredible!! one mistake by either party is potentially fatal.
Its taken years of practice and fine tuning for us to be able to work so well with these crews. Team effort.
That helicopter pilot is amazing. Being that precise for so long… incredible machine and pilot
Wow, that's a job for young legs!
As a former phone tech, the highest pole I ever climbed was 30 feet! When I finished that job, my legs were like rubber!
We climbed that every day for a long time in the middle of the winter 400ft at least it was prevailing wage lol
These guys don’t climb. They are lifted from one tower to the next. It’s easy work you just have to get used to the hight.
Great job fellas...Thank you for what you do for society. You are pulling your weight, and some in this world!
My son is Avionics Electrical technician with the Coast Guard he maintains the 5 helicopters they have in the hanger in San Francisco and also is part of the flight crew. I always like watching helicopters in action.
The helo pilot has the motor function of a brain surgeon! Tiny, delicate movements with his hand and feet. Absolutely amazing teamwork.
Like the claw game
I'm a fixed wing pilot and a crane operator, much respect for all involved here!
The precision of this is just crazy……some bad ass skills by the helicopter operator.
I’m sure there’s communication going on between the helicopter operator, possible a radio watchmen, and the three on the tower as well…..team effort on point
Yes, we do have our own company signalman on the tower who goes through tower climbing certification. He provides all the height and orientation details. Team effort all the way.
That... was... terrifying. And also awesome.
As a union ironworker I can appreciate the skill set of this pilot rig op’s surgical like skill set putting that hook precisely where it was needed….. now on a honest ribbing and evaluation note…. why you the only one sticking at bolt down, cod??!!!!!! NUT UP!!!!!!!!! Im messing with ya hawse!!! Nothing but respect…. Working at heights like that aint for everybody!!!! Good work to that entire crew and especially yall's chopper rig pilot…. that dude is a surgeon with the hook and can make the most green, novist and rookie connectors look like a rock star…. Cheers to you whoever you are hero!!!!!!!!! your pitch, yaw, and thrust skills are noteworthy!!!!!!!!! I bet them checks reflect it too!!!!! I know operators planted on the ground that cant do it like that…. you add left and right rutter, pitch, yaw, thrust, wind, drifting, and trying to keep it all stable is mind boggling and here you are making it look like childs play!!!!!! Hats off to you big dawg!!!!!! A connectors dream!!!!! I’m sure you prolly never pay for drinks if you even partake in such are mostly free as well as dinners after shifts with you!!!!! Get high with it!!!!!
I am not a pilot-what skill! The guys doing the rigging-amazing! We take that stuff for granted-well done guys!
These guys look so calm like they're working on the ground. Just another day at the office. The helicopter pilot has some impressive skills. There is no way in hell I could do that job. I would be afraid of falling off a perfectly good tower. Never have been crazy about heights. It's the sudden stop that gets you!!!!!!
Whatever these guys are earning, they deserve more! Absolute balls of steel!
Stunning professionalism.
Always wondered how they did this without crushing their hands or self really, the cables are a simple neat idea
At 5:19 hand was pushing cable when maybe hand should have pulled on cable and hand gets "close" to getting squished. I was nervous and it wasn't my hand. His heart probably never skipped a beat.
Did this tower have guy wires? It did not look like it. Thanks.
@@andyeverett1957 That's a self support tower, so there are no guy wires. His heart probably did skip a beat. That stuff is scary
Human ingenuity is amazing. Things seems so difficult until someone smarter figures it all out snd makes it simple…like politicians do but the opposite
@@andyeverett1957 Imagine crushing your hand up there and not being able to climb down...
@@bpc4209 I would have to think that crew is trained to be able to preform first aid and then evacuate an injured teammate if need be? Not a job for the careless.
I saw this happen in real life from the ground. So freaking awesome. Had my binoculars and I could see the dudes up there with hammers knocking it into position. These guys made it look easy.
These guys have the biggest balls in the entire galaxy! Kudos to these outstanding human beings.
The way the Chopper pilot delivers the new section & then holds station is bad ass, & of course the crew are F##king awesome 💪🇺🇸
It takes a lot of skill and experience for a pilot to be able to look down vertically to precisely position the tower segment and within inches of height for the riggers to spike it into final position.
Yeah I don't think there's enough focus paid to the pilot in this vid
2 man crew. Spotter.
it is a team effort. We are only as good as our customer is. We also have one of our signalmen on the tower to provide a line of communication between the workers and the pilot as well as another signalman on the ground. Thanks for watching.
That looks very dangerous! But i guess that's how it's got to be done... respect!
I was in the AF early 80s. Free climbed 220-320. Saftied in when you got to the work location. Definitely have respect for these climbers. Takes a different kind to do this work.
We used Midwest for sprint cabinet removals in downtown Chicago several times. Absolutely professional nothing less.
@mattcampbell we appreciate it. We only are as good as our customers are. Hope we can work together again. please share!
It amazes me how precise the helicopter rpilot is at making movements
The structure of that tower is incredible to hold the balls those men are carrying.
So here I am in January 2024 and I got here because Tom Scott is now on sabbatical and no longer creating his own videos (to be fair, he's been doing so for 10 years now, so he's earned the rest). His email to us today told us about this video. For someone like me who has a problem more than 3 steps up a ladder, well, clearly I was out the day the gave out balls of steel. Between the pilot with an eagle eye for precision and the tower crew just hanging out, y'all clearly have done this a time or two. Props to y'all.
that’s probably over $4k per hour in labor shown there. these guys kill it & deserve every drop, IMO.
I have a pro stuntman buddy that does tower inspect/maintenance, has a tree service and leaps from bridges & airplanes for fun. yet, he called me in to supervise him changing his infant daughter’s diaper on his 1st solo dad experience (his wife had only been gone for 30 mins) since I was already a father to two.
they’re a different breed & we need them like they need us. it sure as hell takes all kinds
The "fall" won't kill you, it's just that sudden "stop" at the end.
Hey, that's my line.
would be nice to have a parachute just in case
The ground will.
I've done tower work up to about 400 feet. These guys know what they're doing and are working safely. Well done. And I'm SO glad I never had to put my tower rescue climber certification to the test!
we have developed multiple emergency plans for jobs like these. Team effort is the only way to success. Thanks for watching.
I painted high voltage tower's around 50 year's ago. We painted tower's while energized, always. I never seen a guy get hurt. The most scared that I ever got, even if only briefly, was when I stepped out on the middle arm, and a bolt was missing on one end of the angle. Thanks, John
I worked down the street from Midwest for almost 20 years - very cool. Many times I would walk outside to watch the heli land, hover, or just fly around.
Over 50 years, almost 55 years now.
Can you imagine working up there all day, and then having to climb down? Those guys are tough.
I do sling-load ops piloting AS350B3’s and long-line with B2 variant ASTARS. It is tiring work at times, especially when humans are near the line, as it requires much focused attention. But climbing the towers is well,,,, a “NO THANK YOU” job. Much respect for those guys on towers, because I’d never do it.
That is an efficient operation right there. Cables through the bolt holes is brilliant at that height.
The static discharge could be epic from that. I’ve done a lot of slings and that is some excellent work !
Sometimes it can be. Typically only if its raining or we are near high tension powerlines. Even then its not bad. We use a synthetic cable that is not a good conductor.
Gotta love some S58 capability! Keep your head on a swivel!
Absolutely amazing skills by all involved and serious cahones for the guys on the tower. Wow.
Cheers to everyone in that operation.
Amazing teamwork.
The precision and potential for disaster are stunning. I have seen this chopper in person and it is a beast.
I've stacked loads of towers (no helicopter stack yet), all gin pole and a couple done by crane (self-support). I love stacking tower more than anything, been on a steel crew for 4 years and wouldn't have it any other way.
Never looked down on a helicopter before thanks for the footage !!
I've never seen footage of a helicopter from ABOVE, looks cool as hell.
That copter seemed to be fucken glued to the sky, unbelievable
I have a terrible fear the thought of being up on a tower. That with a helicopter trying to place a piece of steel over you, I'm done! Great job to all.
I darn near broke out in a sweat just watching this from my easy chair. Well done!
ikr
LOL🤣You cracked me up!!
Pilot is badass. He sat it down perfectly
As a radio comm engineer... wow, just great work. Not all locations can bring in a crane to stack the tower sections. Good job!
I still have my American Tower free climb cert. Nice to see all that safety equipment and no gin pole. Thanks!
There's a free climb cert?
@@DavidTube5 There was back in the 90's. I got my first climbing belt in 1998. A lineman's belt with a rebar hook and no lanyard. We started wearing hard hats a couple years later.
I started with a Klein lineman’s belt and a rope lanyard!!!! That was before American Tower even existed!!! 🤣🤣🤣
This tower will have a safety climb all the way to the top when they are done assembling it. We are one of the few helicopter companies that have our own tower cert signalman up there with the top hands. Thanks for watching.
Excellent video - I buy second hand shoes so that I am closer to the ground, so nothing but respect to all involved.
Very well done. Such piloting, and craftsmanship is rare.
This world be one hell of a job! Really great work from that whole team.
I think I would’ve wanted the helicopter to release a little sooner. Good job getting your hand out of there. Great work guys stay safe.
Amazing precision by the helicopter pilot. I believe the pilot has a quick-release mechanism that he would activate if anything happens that would jeopardize the copter itself. They would drop the load to save the copter. Also, the guys on the tower have some balls. Thanks for posting.
Save the copter, drop the giant structure on those guys
@@ibeauf I believe the pilot will always risk themselves over the workers. So they will get the helicopter away from the crews before having to drop anything. I’m confident the pilot already has a preplanned area to get the load over to drop it in an emergency.
@@ibeauf Nitwit...
We have emergency procedures briefed and discussed along with an outlined route plan for each and every lift. Thanks for watching.
@@Midwesthelicopter Pickle the load!!
This is so cool.
Over 50 years ago my Dad said he wished we had a helo to help put up towers here in Fl. Those were only 10 foot sections.
Im going to school to be an AME, every helicopter video like this makes me want to work on them when I get out of school.
Always hiring. Some of our AMEs get certified to climb towers for us to make extra.
I feel like I’m getting woozy just watching this. These guys are absolutely bat shit crazy to do this kind of work! My hats off to them!
Absolutely insane skill, courage and testicle size! Amazing communication between you guys and the the skill and precision of that pilot is incredible!
Also, Lets appreciate the ground crew for their flawless rigging and joint communication.
Top marks from me!
I cannot ever explain how “drawn up” I was watching this,,these guys have all my respect!
The scariest part is after the tower is secured but the helicopter is still attached. I felt relief when it disconnected.
Past year watched LE Meyers crews and transmission line tower sections being carried by an Erikson copter. Watching those guys dangling below being carried from tower to tower was amazing.
Breathtaking!
I respect their courage and I can't stop watching...yet just in this video I feel I have aged a year
LOL🤣ME too girl!!
Man... you guys are the best! I don't know how much you make... but it ain't enough! The rest of us couldn't do our thing without You gentleman doing your thing! Thank you and continue to be safe!
I’m scared of heights and totally get dizzy 😵 watching this video and these guys are amazing too, I’m afraid of very high heights 😮
What ever those guys are being paid is not enough
Mad respect for you gentlemen. I couldn't do that if my life depended on it.
Brings me memories of my time in the NAVY. during Vert-Rep. I had to attend underneath the hovered helo to hookup the loads. Loved it.
These are the folks who actually make world a better place .. Salute !!!!!
That is some precision flying. Respect 👍
....BIG COMPLIMENT to all Crew members !!! Great job... sooo nice flown and top crew at the ,,Top,, ... kinde regards from Switzerland !! (former AS332- Pilot)
It is because of these guys that we are seeing this kind of videos. Bravo!
I used to do this. For about 10 yrs in my 20s. God I loved it.
Wow, so cool. A lot different than we did back in the early 70's with a gin pole and winch setup. Thanks for sharing.
I'm surprised to see one of those still flying and working. When the Royal Navy had them as shipborne helicopters, they were colloquially known as 'The Paraffin Parrot'. (The turbine versions - like this one - previous versions had radial reciprocating engines.)
That's what I was thinking, it's gotta be 40+ years old.
Badass pilot . Balls of steel from those workers . Blue collar 💪
sent here by tom scott