Power Line Warning Balls
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Cairns FNQ
Power Line Warning Balls
I was reading through some old crash comics and FSA issues and thinking just how many of the crop duster and other prangs involving low flying aircraft that could have been prevented by the use of power line warning balls.
Seems most duster pilots know the power lines are there, but either forget or have the sun in just the wrong spot and bang. In the USA I've seen the power line warning balls in every state I've been to. They've got to be a cheap and effective way to prevent these prangs. Relatively cheap and highly visible, if supplied by the farmers the energy providers should install them for nix if they can get access to the line with their insulated bucket cherry pickers, No power disruptions etc. Yanks even have them where power lines cross a river or ravine, even though there should be no low flying there.
( One companies billboard ad had the slogan,- "Let our balls save yours".)
Just a thought.
Seems most duster pilots know the power lines are there, but either forget or have the sun in just the wrong spot and bang. In the USA I've seen the power line warning balls in every state I've been to. They've got to be a cheap and effective way to prevent these prangs. Relatively cheap and highly visible, if supplied by the farmers the energy providers should install them for nix if they can get access to the line with their insulated bucket cherry pickers, No power disruptions etc. Yanks even have them where power lines cross a river or ravine, even though there should be no low flying there.
( One companies billboard ad had the slogan,- "Let our balls save yours".)
Just a thought.
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 481
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From: USA
Problem is that there's too many powerlines to install them on to be financially feasible. Also there's the problem that many of the powerlines can't support the weight of putting marker balls all the way along them.
So marker balls are installed in locations where aircraft frequent.
So marker balls are installed in locations where aircraft frequent.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 180
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From: Cairns FNQ
I wasn't suggesting every power line, Just for farms that use crop sprayers on a regular basis.
A farm my have 20 paddocks that get sprayed or fertilised but only two paddocks adjacent to the power line from the road down to the house.
A farm my have 20 paddocks that get sprayed or fertilised but only two paddocks adjacent to the power line from the road down to the house.
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,290
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From: WA
When I did my low level, powerline awareness was one of the main subjects drummed into me at a very early stage. You carried out a very detailed investigation and inspection of the area before even considering commencing the low level ops. I'm sure its the same for the ag sprayers and fire bombers.
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 79
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From: Australia
These things were the subject of a Senate enquiry chaired by the Greens some time ago. It was found that they detract from the visual landscape and they recommended that they should be coloured blue so that they blend with the sky.
Joined: Sep 2002
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Great South East, tired and retired
Don't laugh, the greenies in the Wollongong area also required that the towers supporting the wires be painted dark green, and wanted to paint the wires green. Who would be the first to complain when their power supply to the energy-efficient weaving loom was cut by a collision with an aircraft?
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Dog House
If doing crop dusting would be better to come up with some sort of transportable laser beam arrangement - maybe at base of each pole send a beam of at 45 degrees?
A distance could be determined by the poles (found at start of beam) and the x would be the max height of any wire with sag as safety.
A distance could be determined by the poles (found at start of beam) and the x would be the max height of any wire with sag as safety.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 46
Likes: 3
From: Fliegensville, Gold Coast Australia
They are here, not at all that far from me, maybe 7km away?.....they're installed over a landfill site, and run from the top of a ridge to the base of the landfill site......highly visible.....just no GA activity goes anywhere near them!!
How come the Green Loonies don't demand their hideous windfarm contraptions be painted to fit in with the landscape then??
How come the Green Loonies don't demand their hideous windfarm contraptions be painted to fit in with the landscape then??
Joined: Apr 1998
Posts: 4
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From: Mesopotamos
I know of someone who flew into power lines and lived to tell the tale. Put all the baubles you can on them, in fact dress them up like a christmas trees. The sad part is the weakest link is the human brain which can be easily side tracked for the briefest of moments - even after a recce flight and ground walk has been performed.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 401
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From: Outback Australia
No Cookies | Herald Sun
I see the final report has been released from where a Conquest clipped powerlines when coming in to land at a farm strip on South Australia's Far West Coast.
The powerlines are described in the ATSB report as being 370m from the runway, and 7.5 metres above ground level.
From the report, the owner of the airstrip told the charter company that the power lines were there before the aircraft arrived, but neither pilot of the two aircraft arriving that day appear to be aware of the power lines.
I see the final report has been released from where a Conquest clipped powerlines when coming in to land at a farm strip on South Australia's Far West Coast.
The powerlines are described in the ATSB report as being 370m from the runway, and 7.5 metres above ground level.
From the report, the owner of the airstrip told the charter company that the power lines were there before the aircraft arrived, but neither pilot of the two aircraft arriving that day appear to be aware of the power lines.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 401
Likes: 18
From: Outback Australia
I don't know how much you need for a fully loaded Conquest.
