This nine and a half minute video is longer for a reason: it takes time for a Sikorsky S-58T helicopter to lift a microwave repeater system through the air to the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge!
In September (2009), after a couple of weather and technical delays, ARIS Helicopters accomplished a high-profile lift and placement job on the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. With pilot Sam Nowden flying a Sikorsky S-58T twin-Turbine helicopter, the job consisted of removing and replacing a twin parabolic microwave repeater disc assembly on the south tower of the bridge.
And here’s another view (including a hello from the guys doing the job).
New York City by autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire in 2009.
Stephen has the amazing talent of drawing city skylines from memory. Having spent only a few hours in a helicopter flying from Brooklyn to the tip of Manhattan, he memorized the city skyline and headed back to a studio to begin his drawing. Stephen then spent the next 3 days sketching the skyline. The panoramic drawing will be featured on a billboard that will be displayed at JFK airport terminal
A brief visit to the Brooklyn Bridge and all of the usual cars, taxis helicopters, boats, bikers and pedestrians that you’d find walking along such a monument in NYC.
This kind of footage reminds me a lot of the old Sesame Street shorts that would feature life in New York City. Slower edits, lingering on scenes, little narration… just visiting and observing the way we live.
Kilauea’s Pu`u O`o crater has been erupting off and on, with little interruption, since January 3, 1983. In the last few months, it took over a green area called Royal Gardens, where a lone house, a bed and breakfast called The Lava House, was the only structure. It was run by Jack Thompson, who moved into his home in 1983, the day before a huge eruption that destroyed all other homes nearby. Tourists visited Jack’s home via helicopter in a video — the beginning and the end from about 5:15s really give a good view. From June 2011:
Jack and his home are completely cut-off from the outside world. Jack uses a generator for a few hours a day and has a cell phone to chat with the reporters who frequently call him, as well as the helicopter companies that call to check on the weather. Jack does have satellite TV. His water is collected from rain water and stored in a large tank (very common in remote areas of Hawaii).
Every seven to ten days Jack hikes to town for supplies. The hike is an eerie, risk filled trek across three and a half miles of lava to the closest road, which was also cut-off by a lava flow. From there Jack rides a bike he stores nearby, to town.
Spared for three decades, the home was finally consumed a month ago (video with shots from above to compare). Documentarian Leigh Hilbert was on site when Jack had to evacuate his home on March 2nd, 2012. It shows both the power of the lava and Jack’s positive attitude as he prepares to change his life and leave his home.
