# The stupid fly system...



## Soxred93 (Sep 17, 2009)

Our school just got a brand new technical director this year. Today, we're going around and "reinventorying" lights, as well as fixing broken ones. Our fly system consists of a curtain, electric, work lights, curtain, electric, backdrops, electric, cyc. Today, we needed the third electric, the one next to the backdrops, and we went to lower it

Anyway, we noticed that the electric was out of balance. There was too much weight on the arbor, which meant that we needed to take some off. We lowered the electric all the way, so we could go up to the top of the fly tower and unload some weights. Problem number one with our theatre: There is no ladder to get to the top. There's the loading bridge at the top, and no way to get up there. So we resorted to lowering the arbor, and raising the electric to the top of the tower. 

Problem #2: The backdrops are 1 foot away from the electric. We ended up moving both the electric and the backdrop to the roof. We first moved the backdrop. That went without a hitch. We then thought that we were in the clear with the electric, and we raised it. We still kept a close eye on it, but somehow, we missed the par can that was overhung on the other side of the stage. The backdrop's batten hits it, and knocks it out of focus. "Whoops!" we say... And then we bring it back down. BAD IDEA. Apparently, when the batten hit the par, it slid over the instrument, and ended up getting caught on top! And by bringing the bar back down, we accidentally bent the yoke about 20 degrees... 

Sometimes, you just have a bad day.


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## Footer (Sep 17, 2009)

It always amazes me how many places are built with a fly system with no loading rail. My current theater also has that issue, I know how that goes. 

You might want to have your school look into either buying a chain motor or a capstan winch. Either will allow you to unload your arbor on the deck and safely let the arbor out. Both can be configured for your exact system, so call your local rigging company to come out and have a look and avoid the no loading rail out of weight situation. 

If it makes you feel any better, my system is double purchase which makes it impossible to bring something out of weight so these are my only options.


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## Soxred93 (Sep 17, 2009)

To be fair, we have a loading rail, just no way to get to it.


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## Footer (Sep 17, 2009)

Was there a ladder at one time? 

This might be a case that there was a ladder there but did not have a cage on it. Instead of putting a cage on the ladder, they just pulled the ladder off of the wall. The argument could be made that they actually made the room less safe by removing the ladder and leaving a fly system without a usable rail.


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## Soxred93 (Sep 17, 2009)

I'm not sure, seeing as there's a door at the bottom of one side, and the stage manager's podium at the other side.

The new TD and I are going to try to find a janitor with a REALLY long ladder to get up there. We're going to evaluate if it is still safe to stand on (it should).


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## KeepOnTruckin (Sep 18, 2009)

Where are the weights currently located?


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## Soxred93 (Sep 18, 2009)

On the stage left side of the stage.


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## photoatdv (Sep 18, 2009)

This may be a stupid question, but have you really made sure there ISN'T access somewhere. My old hs had loading gallery access via one of the A/C rooms.


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## Sayen (Sep 20, 2009)

I've seen that sort of setup. One school I visited required exiting the building and going up two ladders on connecting buildings to reach the loading gallery through a door. Another required crawling on your belly under AC ducts and along swaying catwalks to reach the lighting. I'm not sure how either system was legal or deemed safe for students.


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## Sony (Sep 21, 2009)

Sayen said:


> I've seen that sort of setup. One school I visited required exiting the building and going up two ladders on connecting buildings to reach the loading gallery through a door. Another required crawling on your belly under AC ducts and along swaying catwalks to reach the lighting. I'm not sure how either system was legal or deemed safe for students.



One theatre I work at has a similar thing when it comes to walking outside. In order to access the FoH lighting you have to walk outside and up a set of access stairs. It REALLY sucks when it is raining outside


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## cdub260 (Sep 22, 2009)

Sony said:


> One theatre I work at has a similar thing when it comes to walking outside. In order to access the FoH lighting you have to walk outside and up a set of access stairs. It REALLY sucks when it is raining outside



Try working in an amphitheatre.


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## Footer (Sep 22, 2009)

I did a show at a theatre back in Georgia that was a 1900's theatre that was just renovated. They added an FOH lighitng position. To get to it, you had to go up to the 4th floor meeting room, go into a closet, climb a ladder through a roof hatch, go up on the roof and accross, down a ladder, then to the roof hatch into the FOH positon. After you got there, there was only 3'6 of vertical height. It was great.... First time I went up there it was raining as well. At strike I decided to donate my color to the venue.


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