I've been a crane operator since 1978. The last 10 years before retirement were as a Crane Instructor and Proctor for Local 150 ASIP. My daily duties included routine hands-on field training in the operation, assembly/disassembly, and rigging of all types of mobile and tower cranes. In the colder seasons, I regularly taught a 40-hour Mobile Crane class as well as a companion 3-day Load Chart and 2-day Crane Math class. And yes, I'm a dirt guy too. You don't usually start in cranes unless you were an apprentice oiler, you work up to them.
My profile picture is one I took from the seat of an 8500 Manitowoc with a 150' main and a 30' foot jib set at 10 degrees. I have two mechanics in a workbasket doing an inspection of one of our tower cranes at the training site.