Disconnecting 500kV line under load

Finally..an explaination of what happened to you. (How close were you standing. We know they did the vid after you got zapped right?)

that was cool

argeed that was cool

I want to try that!

Thats an old vid but not a repost.
I saw that clip a few years ago, its a great example of corona effect.

it baffles me that the path of least resistance is so far up above the terminals, instead of more or less a straight shot across

Air is a poor conductor. The crap floating in the air, however.....

Probably what the arc is chasing.

... would it be the particles in the air heating up and rising with the rapid change in air pressure from the heat of the arc????

edit: maybe not.. i just did some deep reading on the corona effect.... VERY interesting stuff
http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;...na%20discharge

You got the right idea toasty,
its the high voltage arc that burns the oxygen (plasma) as it heats up it rises drawing the arc further away from the source untill it finally breaks free.

One of the side effects is ozone and to those boys on the ground it would smell like a fresh rain fall.