Method for lowering and raising a wind turbine blade

A method of raising a blade to a wind turbine supported upon a tower comprising the steps of:

• placing a turbine blade in a horizontal position below a tower supporting a wind turbine;
• affixing a lifting yoke to the root end of said blade;
• attaching a hoisting cable to said lifting yoke and providing support for said cable from a position in the nacelle of said wind turbine;
• attaching a tip end shoe to a portion of said blade between the tip and the midpoint of said blade, said tip end shoe including a crane hook receiving component;
• securing said tip end shoe in position along said blade with a cord attached to said tip end shoe and extending to and attached in proximity to said blade root;
• attaching a left and a right tag line to the root end of said blade;
• attaching a left and a right tag line to said tip end shoe;
• attaching a crane cable from a crane to said crane hook receiving component;
• attaching said hoisting cable to a winch such that operation of the winch in a first direction releases hoisting cable toward said lifting yoke and operation of the winch in a second direction draws hoisting cable from the direction of said lifting yoke;
• operating said winch in said second direction and operating said crane cable whereby said blade is raised in a substantially horizontal position;
• manipulating said tag lines as necessary to prevent said blade from striking said tower;
• when said blade is high enough above the ground to clear the ground in a vertical position, loosening said crane cable to impart a rotation of said blade to a substantially vertical position;
• raising said blade using said hoisting cable and said crane cable to support the weight of said blade while manipulating said tag lines to orient said blade to a desired position for attachment to said wind turbine.