Before I got wfp we used to do some 3rd floor (ground, 1st and 2nd story) work that meant using a double 16ft wooden ladder, boy was that heavy. I would never go up in anything more than a whisper of a wind, but on calm days it was fine.
We just used to price the work accordingly so as to discourage people from asking us to do 3rd floor work, used to charge £6-8 per climb, and then add the vat on to that, that made it a bit easier to do.
Now I'm wfp and I would never go back to ladders for anything over 14-16 feet, and even then I'd rather keep my feet on the ground.
Tim