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See Air Safety Annual Report, page 3;
“At this stage I have identified 3 strategic Air Safety operating risks.......(3) helicopter collisions with wires and obstructions. Ensuring they attract an appropriate profile and emphasis on their mitigation will be a priority for me in the coming period.”
And Annex A;
“A 2008 report....28 recommendations including technology and research....some significant ones remain outstanding, particularly in the technology and research area...”.
At the moment I can’t reconcile this with the fact it is well over 20 years since the multi-function, podded laser detector was offered to MoD and the fact the design team has been disbanded / made redundant while MoD’s R&D effort in this technology area has been more or less stopped. At the time, the pod would have been considered heavy for most helicopters (the requirement was FW) but technology has moved on since I saw the prototype working in 1985. If anyone in MAA is reading this, dig around the old files and engage the designer. He has his own company now and routinely advises NATS and other countries on similar applications of the same basic device. MoD should also bear in mind they probably retain the Intellectual Property Rights!