“You Can Fly!” Thanks to the IBEW-NECA Team
Naperville, IL (PRWEB) December 19, 2014 -- Perhaps you've dreamed of skydiving, but haven't quite gotten up the nerve to board an aircraft, go up 35,000 feet and jump out, relying on your rip cord and chute to work properly.
Now, thanks to iFly Chicago, a new indoor skydiving facility with a vertical wind tunnel, it's possible for thrill seekers to experience the excitement of skydiving without a plane – with considerably less risk of injury (or worse). Of course, it's not completely without risk – all patrons are required to sign a liability waiver before using the equipment – but thanks to the expertise of the union electricians of IBEW Local 117, even small children and seniors can experience what came naturally to Peter Pan knowing that the electrical systems required to run this simulation are operating at the highest level of safety.
The contractor on the project was Lauderdale Electric, a member of NECA - an electrical contractors association that stands for excellence. Their experience and expertise was the key to the successful completion of this highly complex electrical system, requiring a sophisticated setup of powerful fans and vents that needed to operate perfectly every single time.
Furthermore, because of the thorough training and experience of the electricians, the project was completed on time and within budget – and required only a quarter of the man-hours generally necessary for a project of this type. It's even more impressive when Beau Lauderdale, an IBEW Local 117 Foreman, describes for ETV the sheer magnitude of the project: “There’s a 3000-amp, 480-277 volt service that feeds upstairs 2,400 amps ... the fans are controlled with the VFDs ... each VFD gets 600, so there’s four of them, powers the 350 horsepower fans...four of those, (for a total of) 1,400 horsepower.”
Add to that the logistics of the project, which was carried out in frigid temperatures, six to seven stories off the ground. You can begin to appreciate just what it took to pull off this technological marvel of electrical construction – while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, quality and above all, industrial electrical safety.
See the entire story in Electric TV's latest video presentation at ElectricTV.net or on their YouTube Channel.
ABOUT ELECTRIC TV
ETV is an ongoing project of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors' Association (NECA). Produced in conjunction with Oswego Creative, these short video documentaries highlight the skills, training and accomplishments of these professional labor organizations.
Dominic Giarratano, Electric TV, http://www.electrictv.net, +1 (303) 601-2982, [email protected]
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