Wed, Mar 18, 2009
Fixed Beam Suspension Eliminates Trolley Problems
Helicopter cargo equipment provider Onboard Systems
International announced recently its new fixed beam suspension
system for the Bell 407 has been STC certified by the FAA. Onboard
has also submitted this system to Transport Canada and EASA for
certification in Canada and Europe, respectively.
"The fixed beam design greatly reduces the total part count --
which also reduces maintenance costs and requirements," said Jason
Lemmon, President & General Manager of Onboard Systems.
"Eliminating the trolley system makes it much quieter to operate,
as there's no more side-to-side banging. It also allowed us to
reduce the total system weight by 35%."
The fixed beam system also offers additional clearance as
measured from the lowest hanging point of the cargo hook. This is
important for operations in remote field locations where prepared
landing pads are few and far between. The addition of built-in
travel limits to both the load beam and the cargo hook protect the
hook, the suspension system and the aircraft.
Also available in the first half of 2009 will be an Onboard
Weighing System for the new fixed beam assembly, which uses
Onboard's new pin load cell technology. Pin load cells are designed
to mount on one side of the hook by replacing the main attach bolt,
rather than attaching as a separate link above the hook. This
allows for increased ground clearance, easier cable routing and
lower weight, while still allowing the pilot to know the exact
weight of the load on the cargo hook to maximize load efficiency
while reducing airframe stress.
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