
Helicopter line maintenance
With a network area of 255,000km2, that’s a lot of ground to cover. One way to improve the efficiency of our work is to use a helicopter to conduct patrols/inspections, insulator treatment, and routine maintenance of transmission and distribution lines and assets. It also means that we don’t need to drive on to your property to do all of this.
Pollution and humidity can build up on electrical insulators and so we need to keep them clean to minimise reliability issues. Live line insulator treatment means that the power stays on while we do it. The helicopters fly low – around the same height as poles – so we recommend that farmers who may be concerned about disruption to their livestock consider moving them away from power lines.
2025 schedule
Task: Transmission line inspections
Suburb | Month |
---|---|
Abba River | August 2025 |
Ambergate | August 2025 |
Anketell | August 2025 |
Arthur River | August 2025 |
Baldivis | August 2025 |
Beaufort River | August 2025 |
Beckenham | August 2025 |
Bellevue | August 2025 |
Bennett Springs | August 2025 |
Bickley | August 2025 |
Binningup | August 2025 |
Blythewood | August 2025 |
Boallia | August 2025 |
Bodallin | August 2025 |
Borderdale | August 2025 |
Boscabel | August 2025 |
Bovell | August 2025 |
Boyerine | August 2025 |
Bramley | August 2025 |
Bruce Rock | August 2025 |
Canning Mills | August 2025 |
Canning Vale | August 2025 |
Cannington | August 2025 |
Capel | August 2025 |
Carmel | August 2025 |
Carrabin | August 2025 |
Carrolup | August 2025 |
Casuarina | August 2025 |
Champion Lakes | August 2025 |
Cherry Tree Pool | August 2025 |
Cookernup | August 2025 |
Cowaramup | August 2025 |
Cranbrook | August 2025 |
Darlington | August 2025 |
Dayton | August 2025 |
Doobarda | August 2025 |
Eneabba | August 2025 |
Forrest Beach | August 2025 |
Forrestdale | August 2025 |
Glen Forrest | August 2025 |
Gooseberry Hill | August 2025 |
Gosnells | August 2025 |
Green Valley | August 2025 |
Hacketts Gully | August 2025 |
Harrisdale | August 2025 |
Helena Valley | August 2025 |
Hopeland | August 2025 |
Hyden | August 2025 |
Jindong | August 2025 |
Jingalup | August 2025 |
Kadathinni | August 2025 |
Kalgup | August 2025 |
Kaloorup | August 2025 |
Karlgarin | August 2025 |
Katanning | August 2025 |
Kelmscott | August 2025 |
Kendenup | August 2025 |
Keralup | August 2025 |
Keysbrook | August 2025 |
Kojonup | August 2025 |
Korbel | August 2025 |
Kwinana Beach | August 2025 |
Lakelands | August 2025 |
Langford | August 2025 |
Lime Lake | August 2025 |
Ludlow | August 2025 |
Lumeah | August 2025 |
Lynwood | August 2025 |
Mahogany Creek | August 2025 |
Malaga | August 2025 |
Mandogalup | August 2025 |
Mardella | August 2025 |
Margaret River | August 2025 |
Marracoonda | August 2025 |
Martin | August 2025 |
Mckail | August 2025 |
Merredin | August 2025 |
Middle Swan | August 2025 |
Midvale | August 2025 |
Moojebing | August 2025 |
Moorine Rock | August 2025 |
Mount Barker | August 2025 |
Mount Holland | August 2025 |
Mundaring | August 2025 |
Myalup | August 2025 |
Nambeelup | August 2025 |
Nangeenan | August 2025 |
Narrikup | August 2025 |
Naval Base | August 2025 |
Norpa | August 2025 |
Oakford | August 2025 |
Oakley | August 2025 |
Oldbury | August 2025 |
Palmer | August 2025 |
Parklands | August 2025 |
Parkwood | August 2025 |
Paulls Valley | August 2025 |
Piara Waters | August 2025 |
Piesse Brook | August 2025 |
Pinjarra | August 2025 |
Porongurup | August 2025 |
Postans | August 2025 |
Ravenswood | August 2025 |
Ruabon | August 2025 |
Sawyers Valley | August 2025 |
Serpentine | August 2025 |
South Bodallin | August 2025 |
South Burracoppin | August 2025 |
South Kumminin | August 2025 |
Southern Cross | August 2025 |
Stake Hill | August 2025 |
Swan View | August 2025 |
Tenterden | August 2025 |
The Spectacles | August 2025 |
Treeton | August 2025 |
Uduc | August 2025 |
Vasse | August 2025 |
Wadderin | August 2025 |
Wagerup | August 2025 |
Wagin | August 2025 |
Walgoolan | August 2025 |
Walliston | August 2025 |
Wandi | August 2025 |
Waroona | August 2025 |
Wedgecarrup | August 2025 |
Wellard | August 2025 |
Wellesley | August 2025 |
West Coolup | August 2025 |
West Pinjarra | August 2025 |
West Swan | August 2025 |
Westwood | August 2025 |
Willyung | August 2025 |
Wokalup | August 2025 |
Womarden | August 2025 |
Woodanilling | August 2025 |
Yalyalup | August 2025 |
Yarloop | August 2025 |
Task: Distribution insulator treatment
Suburb | Month |
---|---|
Badgingarra | August 2025 |
Ballidu | August 2025 |
Barberton | August 2025 |
Boothendarra | August 2025 |
Burakin | August 2025 |
Cadoux | August 2025 |
Dalwallinu | August 2025 |
Dandaragan | August 2025 |
East Ballidu | August 2025 |
Jibberding | August 2025 |
Karranadgin | August 2025 |
Kondut | August 2025 |
Konnongorring | August 2025 |
Kulja | August 2025 |
Lake Ninan | August 2025 |
Miamoon | August 2025 |
Miling | August 2025 |
Mocardy | August 2025 |
Mollerin | August 2025 |
Moora | August 2025 |
Newcarlbeon | August 2025 |
Nugadong | August 2025 |
Petrudor | August 2025 |
Walyormouring | August 2025 |
Wongan Hills | August 2025 |
Wubin | August 2025 |
Xantippe | August 2025 |
Yathroo | August 2025 |
FAQs
The helicopter operates at roughly the same height as the power poles, ensuring effective silicone application.
We’re committed to improving network resilience for our communities. Helicopter maintenance work, especially insulator treatment, helps reduce the risk of pole top fires and ensures consistent and safe power supply across Western Australia.
We spray a protective layer of silicone onto insulators to reduce dust and pollution build up and reduce the risk of pole top fires.
We apply FCSIL6, a silicone product, to protect against potential electrical hazards. FCSIL6 is not classified as hazardous (based on the Global Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals).
It's unlikely the helicopter will need to land on private properties. However, if such a situation arises, we'll do our best to communicate with landowners in advance.
Please check our monthly list of suburbs. Our daily schedule is subject to change depending on weather and other operational considerations.
Helicopters won’t be flying in and around residential streets, main roads, close to houses, livestock, etc. Other methods can be employed to maintain the network where a helicopter cannot fly.