Back in the mid 1980's, I worked in the Wind Turbine industry, 300-400 feet in the air, cranking bolts to over 1000 lbs /foot on massive blades that needed re-torquing every 1000 hours of operation. Job security.
The bolts never failed, and safety wiring was standard, but the blades were still killers. I don't have the picture; I wish I did. We saw a blade break loose at the stem and pin a Ford F250 pickup through the cab to the ground, leaving the F250 in a 'Victory V shape'. Three of us were sitting in the truck, an F250, 20 feet away,
The attached image shows the result of a 'Fly away' caused by strong winds beyond operational parameters, when 'feathering' out of the wind is not possible due to the overwhelming force of the wind. Basically, you are fucked, you are at the mercy of the wind. Millions of dollars in the dirt, don't ask about the fires 400 feet in the air. Safety wiring my arse.
A couple of Forum members perhaps remember a fellow named Eric (SF 750) from the old days. I can remember Eric hanging upside down in a safety harness attached to the crane's basket, which I was in, several hundred feet in the air, controlling Eric's lines. His job was to use his acetylene torch to cut the blades loose without setting them on fire so they could safely fall to the ground. ps. Eric and I were on 'Tourist Visas,' the good old days before life became serious. Eric was successful; we were making $10 an hour, no shit, I loved that job. One day, we were up in the turbine's nacelle, and we saw a bear jump into the back of the pickup and steal our lunches. Jose was asleep in the pickup cab, fucker, Jose not the bear. Safety wiring, ha ha
