To Lu,
You are just a little off in your description of airborne liveline, some minor corrections as follows : At no time is the Helicopter ever " Grounded " while in contact with an energized conductor, this would result in the worlds largest flashcube. The correct term is " bonded " A bonding cable is attached from the helicopter to the conducter to equalize the conductive potential between the two, when this occurs the helicopter is now part of the conductor. As for the suits the are fabric blend, 70% nomex and 30 % stainless steel. When properly worn ( with the different articles bonded ) they actually place the person inside of a Farraday's cage with the current flowing around the wearer as oppossed to thru them. The pilot in a suit is actually in 2 cages, the suit , and the helicopter itself is a cage. Next thing is , that most insulators are changed with the line de-energized although it can be done hot, and the linemen are usually deposited on the tower for this operation
( cold end of the string ) and then a ladder is slung in with the rigging, hoists, new sting etc. Doing this hot can be tricky.
When a lineman is deposited on the conductor he is usually going to perform maint on the hot end of the string. Most likely the replacement of hardware such as a corona ring, cotter pin, stockbrige damper, etc. That outfit in Florida that I believe you are refering to, went Tango Uniform, but there are others. A side note. I was extremely intrigued by your posts on "Just Helicopters " about EMF generated by non bonded rotating components and the damage they cause. In the early days we trashed a H-500 rotorhead because the blades and head are insulated from each other via a fiberglass bushing on the vertical hinge pin.
Never wrestled any alligators but I know a few Lineman that I'D put my money on aginst a gator. Lasty I personally would not do wirework in anything but a 500...Cheers