URGENT﻿!! Power Line Marker Balls Removed By BC Hydro

URGENT!! Power Line Marker Balls Removed By BC Hydro

7/4/2016

One of our members has informed us that BC Hydro is removing marker balls at various span crossings in the province that have been in place for years. Some locations have had much smaller marker balls installed which are only visible from 1 mile or less from the line in ideal weather conditions. Others have had the marker balls removed completely. The explanation given was that Transport Canada does not require them to be installed and unless directed by Transport Canada to have marker balls installed at specific locations, BC Hydro will not bother (or be obligated) to maintain span marking in high traffic areas. Safety First!

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1 Comment

Anonomys Member

7/6/2016 06:27:54 am

Flying low level through valley passes that you are not familiar with is basically a hazardous past time, and an attempt to join the 'Darwin Club'.

Not all spans are marked - and that's a regulatory thing across the continent (if not also beyond). I could give numbers, but, it is far too complex. Basically, if the span (towers or wires) isn't lower than about 200' off the ground below it, then it is deemed to be low enough that marking is not necessary as the expectation is that pilot who aren't familiar with the area won't be 'droning' around down there. For those people who think 'ALL' wires and towers should be marked… They should begin counting all the wires and towers that criss-cross Canada. There is a general understanding within the regulatory / legal community, that one can only protect so much of the Darwinian principle, otherwise we'd have marker balls all the way throughout the Trans Canada Highway and every road in rural Canada (most have power lines along them). A height has to be established, and they came up with some numbers (again, sort of complex).

Bottom line is, if you plan to 'drone' down in the low levels, you better understand how to recognize the signs of potential hazards, as it is a hazardous thing to be there to begin with.

It isn't TC that makes these decisions… It is the legal beagles within the Ivory Towers in Ottawa that make the numbers up. It's all about liability, and if someone wants to risk the hazards of low level flight in valleys, I suppose the lawyers have decided they wouldn't have a tough time with the case Guys forget that droning down in valleys is kind of like mountain flying… There is a 'whole art' to know how to detect these things…

Talk to the helicopter drivers who do the province!! They will have plenty of stories. Lots of scary ones, but mostly what they should come back with is - lessons learned.