A 'catenary' landing-pad on Alcan's Kemano pipeline, Canada.
The pad is 1/2 mile from the mountains on each side, and 700 feet in the air above an avalanche zone.
It's supported on three inch cables, a mile long, attached to the mountain by 15-21 rock anchors each.
The catenary at Powerline Pass, between Kemano and Kitimat, British Columbia is owned and maintained by Alcan aluminum of Canada. Myself and two other pilots (Dave Newman and Clint Sarver) were the only pilots trained to do so until I left the VFR side and pursued a less stressful life. Since that time, another pilot did a few lifts there using an Astar, not fun or very smart if you look at the size of the pad.
The Catenary system holds the powerline conductor above the valley floor below, replacing six towers previously wiped out by avalanches. The only way to inspect and service the insulators is to be dropped off by helicopter on the pad you see below and to the left of the machine.
When I get a bit of time, I will post some more pics of that job. Very busy at home and work these days.
Bob Garnhum
Thanks for the prompt response Bob - and welcome to Rotorheads. Heliport
rotorcaptain: Seriously interesting task you have there. Not many folks have to watch out "due to the Peregrin Falcons roosting above" in their daily job.
I note that the photos were: "A few shots my Flight Nurse took while we were inbound to the Ahwahnee Meadow" Why can't we all have a nurse with us every day? I think that many people (of both gender's) could benefit from this simple practise of having someone there who's job it is to look after the flight. Just think how much more you pilot people could relax, knowing that you were going to be nursed at any time?
Heliport,
Tried to respond to your offer of help with posting pics. Don't know if you can help or not. Tried to follow your instructions re: posting but no joy.
Yep! Thats her alright. A standard '63 model UH-1B. Never saw action in Vietnam. Spent some time with the military in one of the scandinavian countries. Bought back by Summit helicopters eventually. Prior to this one had the worst cream, orange and mission brown paint scheme ever seen on an aircraft.
The company that owns it has 3 JR's and a LongRanger. All the same basic scheme but different colours. They stand out.
Thanks TC I've gotten to see a lot of this great country.
For those who don't know what a CB is; over here it's sometimes called a BBMMC. Big Black Money Making Cloud, or what the met guys call a cumulonimbus (doesn't do some of them justice).
Cheers
p.s. you should keep the markers, and spray cans away from those youths !!
Now let's see a plank driver do this. Needed a coffee really badly, so we stopped for one.
Our Base 407 C-FALM sitting at a radio-repeater site at 9,000 ASL in Glacier National Park on a cold October day a few years ago.
ALM conducting a Class D fixed line sling rescue. There were 3 climbers overdue on Mt Patterson in Banff National Park. We searched for them, and found them in a small cave at 9,500' ASL, I slung the wardens to the cave entrance on a 100' line, they scrambled inside as I reduced altitude to give them some slack. They rappelled the injured party down to a suitable pick-up spot a few meters below the cave entrance.
Hey C-RH -- Thanks,
You're pics are very unique and interesting also. Those Alcan Pad shots blow me away, Well done....
I find it fascinating to see pics of all of the different helicopter uses around the world, we're sure an adaptable bunch to find jobs for these aircraft, where ever we may live.
I've been sitting on Red Alert - Initial Attack for the past week, no flying, just $$$$$. After 150 hours in 30, the break is nice, and the profit is more than flying the old Gal.
D
PS..We have Chris G in town, fresh from your location.....He's flying a LH drive BA, slightly smaller than the 61.
Catenary
Big Black Money Making Cloud, or what the met guys call a cumulonimbus (doesn't do some of them justice). 
Linear Mode
