Helicopter in my barn lot.

[td25c]

A company that trims trees for the power line right of way visits us every 5 years.They park & refuel their chopper at our farm for 2 or 3 days.I always enjoy talking to the pilot & ground crew,then we go to the house and my grandmother makes coffee and apple pie.

[cat 385]

wow nice,that would be an interesting job being a pilot like that,have you talked him out of a ride yet?:notworthy

[ATCOEQUIP]

A company that trims trees for the power line right of way visits us every 5 years.They park & refuel their chopper at our farm for 2 or 3 days.I always enjoy talking to the pilot & ground crew,then we go to the house and my grandmother makes coffee and apple pie.


Your grandmother's coffee and apple pie! You need to call me the next time the chopper shows up...I'm going to be there! :notworthy

[td25c]

Ill holler ATCOEQUIP when the chopper is coming ,grandma will have hot coffee & apple pie.For some reason the pilot dose not feel comfortable letting me take the chopper for a spin cat 385.

[cat 385]

Ill holler ATCOEQUIP when the chopper is coming ,grandma will have hot coffee & apple pie.For some reason the pilot dose not feel comfortable letting me take the chopper for a spin cat 385. he must be selfish:beatsme:D

[OCR]

It's hard to tell from the picture, but that looks like a Hughes 500.

Do you know what it is 25c?


OCR... :)

[digger242j]

That's cool! :drinkup

I have to ask--what's the power source for the trimmer? I mean, it's not like choppers come with a PTO or aux hydraulics... :confused:

[td25c]

It's hard to tell from the picture, but that looks like a Hughes 500.

Do you know what it is 25c?


OCR... :)

Its a 1978 "bell Hughes 500" The aircraft world is different from equipment & automobiles.They just keep servicing and replacing engines & rotor blades.Its the same way with fixed wing aircraft.I dont feel to bad about running my older heavy equipmet after talking to those guys.

[td25c]

That's cool! :drinkup

I have to ask--what's the power source for the trimmer? I mean, it's not like choppers come with a PTO or aux hydraulics... :confused:

They used to use a "rotax 2 cycle engine".They upgraded to a new lightwieght 4 cycle engine.I think of its name tommaro.The engine sets in the compartment obove the saw blades.The pilot controls a clutch on the engine by wireless remote to start or stop the saw.The groundman also has the same wireles remote controll.

[OCR]

Thank you, 25c... :thumbsup


OCR... :)

[bill onthehill]

Those blade trimmers are awesome. they can trim more trees in an hour than a whole army of climbers can do. It takes an extra steady pilot to keep it out of the heavy stuff or it gets to dancing around. Seen them used in upstate Pa. before. They go up and down the steep hills so quick. Between chopper maintenance and the blades I am sure it is not a cheap operation to run.

[DRESSTA1]

And you know what, a tree stand does not even slow them down.lol

[rutwad]

I wonder what the hourly rate is? And do the saws ever catch and cause jerking?

We had one parked on our place in Alabama back maybe 15 years ago. It was being used to cut ROW for the RR. I talked to someone on the RR a couple years back and he said he remembered the "chopper". He said (heresay- is it true? :beatsme) that the chopper crashed somewhere between Mobile and New Orleans due to the saws. The RR no longer uses the Chopper for clearing.

Best I can remember from the chopper here, I recall the saw blades being huge! Maybe 3 ft or so. Either way it looked fun/scary!

[td25c]

I wonder what the hourly rate is? And do the saws ever catch and cause jerking?

We had one parked on our place in Alabama back maybe 15 years ago. It was being used to cut ROW for the RR. I talked to someone on the RR a couple years back and he said he remembered the "chopper". He said (heresay- is it true? :beatsme) that the chopper crashed somewhere between Mobile and New Orleans due to the saws. The RR no longer uses the Chopper for clearing.

Best I can remember from the chopper here, I recall the saw blades being huge! Maybe 3 ft or so. Either way it looked fun/scary!

I dont know about the rate.I would think it might be by the mile.If you buy electricity in the U.S. you are paying for there service.The saw they had at our farm had 2 foot blades.It can catch and jerk sometimes.They are mostly trimming the smaller overhanging limbs.The pilot can let the saw&80 foot pole go in case of emergency.They have a grab lever monted on the "cyclic" control that opens a latch on the belly of the chopper.Thats bad about the RR job accident you described.Its a very risky buisines they are in,The chopper is working 100 to 150 feet off the ground carrying an 800 lb. saw with trees on both sides and a high tesion power line in the middel , so "autorotation"is not much of an option.The pilot told me all they hope for is survival in the event of an emergancy.

[qball]

so, this apple pie you speak of.
is there any left?

[td25c]

so, this apple pie you speak of.
is there any left?

Its all gone. Dont worry,My 86 year old grandma can whip up another one with an hour's notice.

[qball]

well, illinois is right by indiana.
it would be a shame to let hen next pie go to waste.....

[ATCOEQUIP]

well, illinois is right by indiana.
it would be a shame to let hen next pie go to waste.....

qball, you ain't gettin' my piece of pie! :D

[td25c]

qball, you ain't gettin' my piece of pie! :D

Dont worry guys. there is enough coffee and apple for everyone.

[td25c]

Landing it looks harder than sawing tree limbs.The pilot sets the saw down ,then backs the chopper down.

[ATCOEQUIP]

I was just thinking about this today! I had a feeling the pilot touched it to the ground then backed up to keep everything in his view. Ask them how the saw blade drive works. Is it chains or belts? Nice pics!

[ATCOEQUIP]

25c, let me see if I pretty much got this straight. It's a beautiful blue sky/partly cloudy day in Indiana. You got to go play around a couple of hours with an "antennae" attached to the jib of your Grove, then come home to take pics of a helicopter landing something that looks like it's from outer space in your barn yard, and then go inside and eat some of your grandma's apple pie. Damn...you got it made! :notworthy

[td25c]

I was just thinking about this today! I had a feeling the pilot touched it to the ground then backed up to keep everything in his view. Ask them how the saw blade drive works. Is it chains or belts? Nice pics!

The saw is belt driven.A cog belt.Like a timing belt in a engine.

[td25c]

25c, let me see if I pretty much got this straight. It's a beautiful blue sky/partly cloudy day in Indiana. You got to go play around a couple of hours with an "antennae" attached to the jib of your Grove, then come home to take pics of a helicopter landing something that looks like it's from outer space in your barn yard, and then go inside and eat some of your grandma's apple pie. Damn...you got it made! :notworthy

We have some good day's in indiana.Like you do in tennessee.I keep my work on a professional level.crane work and playing around dont mix.I just do the crane work ,whatever the job.I am glad you liked the helecoper pics.Post some jobs & pictures ATCOEQUIP.I would like to see the tennessee blue sky.

[Iron Horse]

How on Earth can the pilot see the saw while it is cutting ???
It looks to be hanging behind where he would be sitting . Does he look down between his legs through a Lexen panel in the floor or does he watch it on an LCD screen ?

[td25c]

How on Earth can the pilot see the saw while it is cutting ???
It looks to be hanging behind where he would be sitting . Does he look down between his legs through a Lexen panel in the floor or does he watch it on an LCD screen ?

There is a"bubble" window on the left side for the pilot watch over the side.

[ATCOEQUIP]

[QUOTE=25c;147335] I keep my work on a professional level.crane work and playing around dont mix. QUOTE]


Well, my comment was more "tongue in cheek", as in lifting an antennae fixed to the end of your jib isn't exactly a capacity lift. :D Just an easy day at the office for a change. :notworthy

[td25c]

[QUOTE=25c;147335] I keep my work on a professional level.crane work and playing around dont mix. QUOTE]


Well, my comment was more "tongue in cheek", as in lifting an antennae fixed to the end of your jib isn't exactly a capacity lift. :D Just an easy day at the office for a change. :notworthy

I new what you ment ATCOEQUIP.Its springtime now ,It was 34 degrees this morning and it got up to 55 degrees this afternoon.Things are moving now.Monday morning I saw a farmer working ground,It was to wet In my opinion.Send some pics ATCOEQUIP.

[ATCOEQUIP]

Post some jobs & pictures ATCOEQUIP.I would like to see the tennessee blue sky.


I'll have to work on the pics, I don't have a digital camera. I'm the service manager of a shop nowdays, so I don't get out on many jobs. The pics I have of jobs past are still on film pics, don't have a scanner. But here's a pic I found of a job I worked on in Olmstead Illinois for the Corp of Engineers back in the mid 90's. The job was building new locking chambers on the Ohio river, west of Paducah Kentucky. A temporary Coffer Dam was built to "dry out" the river bed so the lock chambers could be built, a quarter mile wide and one half mile long. I was working for a drilling company, we installed wells and pumps in the Coffer Cells, the shoreline, and on the lock floor. We had a lot of pumps working on this site. If you were standing on the lock chamber floor, the Ohio river was 90 ft above you. The only thing between you and the river was the Coffer Dam. There were a lot of cranes on the site, on the ground as well as on barges.

[td25c]

I'll have to work on the pics, I don't have a digital camera. I'm the service manager of a shop nowdays, so I don't get out on many jobs. The pics I have of jobs past are still on film pics, don't have a scanner. But here's a pic I found of a job I worked on in Olmstead Illinois for the Corp of Engineers back in the mid 90's. The job was building new locking chambers on the Ohio river, west of Paducah Kentucky. A temporary Coffer Dam was built to "dry out" the river bed so the lock chambers could be built, a quarter mile wide and one half mile long. I was working for a drilling company, we installed wells and pumps in the Coffer Cells, the shoreline, and on the lock floor. We had a lot of pumps working on this site. If you were standing on the lock chamber floor, the Ohio river was 90 ft above you. The only thing between you and the river was the Coffer Dam. There were a lot of cranes on the site, on the ground as well as on barges.

Great picture ATCOEQUIP.I am in southern IN. You were in our back yard.Thats interesting.Dont feel bad ,my wife has to post the pics an help me whith spelling.I am only good at pulling levers.

[ATCOEQUIP]

Here's a couple of pics for ya', all I have is my cell phone so they ain't the greatest. I took them from Sharp's Ridge on the north side of downtown Knoxville. The first pic is looking NW toward Kentucky and Indiana, the Cumberland Mountains are in the distance. The next two pics are looking SE and E toward North Carolina, overlooking Knoxville, the Great Smoky Mountains are in the distance.

[td25c]

Here's a couple of pics for ya', all I have is my cell phone so they ain't the greatest. I took them from Sharp's Ridge on the north side of downtown Knoxville. The first pic is looking NW toward Kentucky and Indiana, the Cumberland Mountains are in the distance. The next two pics are looking SE and E toward North Carolina, overlooking Knoxville, the Great Smoky Mountains are in the distance.

Well that does it! Now I am going to plan a vacation trip To Tennesse.We have some hills and nice view's in southern IN.But nothing like that.Great pics ATCOEQUIP!

[ATCOEQUIP]

Well that does it! Now I am going to plan a vacation trip To Tennesse.We have some hills and nice view's in southern IN.But nothing like that.Great pics ATCOEQUIP!


Well y'all come on down! I didn't take this next pic, found it on the internet and don't know who to credit it to. It's looking toward the sunrise in the east. The lights below are Gatlinburg Tennessee. You can see why they're called the Smoky Mountains. What looks like clouds of smoke or a smoky haze over the mountains is actually humid air that when it gets to the cooler air of the higher elevation, the moisture in the air condenses and makes fog, like smoke clouds, or the more spread out visible haze in the air. ;)

[OCR]

Check this link out 25c... I wounder if this was the same helicopter or company, that you posted about??

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20090602X83005&key=1

Also a link to Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MD_Helicopters_MD_500

Second picture... "A Hughes 500 Model 369D"


OCR

[Wolf]

never knew such a thing existed. pretty cool.

[td25c]

Yep,OCR .It was the same company.I always enjoy watching them work.They gave me a nice hat on there last visit.It's a small world trimming power line right of ways with a helicopter.They are highly skilled in what they do and after a long hard day of flying the helicopter with the saw, the pilot and groundman like to eat grilled bratwurst and hamburgers an finish it off with a piece of apple pie.

[JTL]

Ive never seen anything like that before, but my dad who lives in Hartford City, IN (i was born and raised there on a nice 600 acre farm) was telling me about that same chopper.
He had never seen it before till last summer and called me to tell me all about it. Thanks for the pics, now I have an idea of what the old man was talking about!
Gotta love that good ole Indiana hospitality with pie and coffee. My Grandma would do the same thing!
Jason

[Dualie]

gotta have nerves of steel piloting that beast. One hard gust and that saws into powerlines. Takes it up a notch for sure