At the crane controls, Steve moves the block into position near the 80-foot turbine tower, which lays prone on supports, the long blades of the turbine rotor facing the ground. The rest of the crew, including Matt, Cliff, Mike, Reuben, and Philip lock the rotor, so it won't spin as the tower is raised, and secure heavy straps to the turbine. Then they spread out to compass points around the tower. Upon approval by the General Manager, Cliff punches his fist high in the air and shouts to the Steve, the crane operator, to take the tower up. The crane motor roars, and the turbine slowly, slowly begins to rise, its blades stretching out and upward like the wings of a giant bird.
Frequent pauses allow a check on whether the turbine is rising straight.
A special hinge system helps guide the tower onto its footings, permafrost-friendly pilings sunk 30 feet in the ground. This is a new type of foundation for the wind tower, which normally sits on a huge concrete block. KEA developed the special hinge for small village installations and to help guide the tower onto the pilings. The hinge keeps the tower from swinging and allows for a soft landing of the tower into its final placement. As the tower reaches vertical it bounces down on the pilings and Steve must do delicate maneuvering to keep the rotor from bumping the crane.