Re: Another flying issue
Yes, and used in a manner not consistent with the ENGINEERING of the structure or components. The Radiohead roof collapse in Canada this past June, for example. The band brought extra stuff (video, IIRC) and wanted it hung in places the load could be not safely supported. When the on-site person responsible for the roof & stage said "no", he was fired and a seemingly random person was hired on the spot. New guy says "sure, let's do it" and the band's drum tech was killed. Also note that in the absence of wind and storms, most rigging & support failures occur during the lift.
This is why rigging is a *system*. This is why it's important to have the assurance of proper engineering, materials and fabrication. With the contraption in the pictures, we have ZERO, ZIP, NADA in the way of assurance. As for the relative weight differences, 250# will kill you just as dead as 2500#.
Finally, when I see something like this at a fair or festival, I usually want a much closer look at the power distribution, too...
