Slinging liveware ?

[rotorrookie]

I mean slinging persons, like mountain rescuer insertions and such.
Is anyone here that has done it or does it? Is there any SOP for it. I would like to know how you do it,
You just don't hook a person on the other of your line and go flying, right.... there must be something more in it :hmm:
thanks.

[rotorrookie]

‪Climber Rescued on Cascade Mountain in Banff National Park‬‏ - YouTube

Well I found this on the tube, the guy just clips himself on the long-line, but there must be some second safety feature on the other end, I mean what if the hook opens, "upps sorry climber try to enjoy your last flight"
very cool video btw

[GoodGrief]

A double hook comes in handy.
Taubergung4 (http://www.christophorus3.at/index_files/Page5453.htm)

Air Zermatt sling horses and cows every now and then in addition to lining people out of the mountains.

[Fun Police]

i am now class D load certified (trained this spring) and have since done one real rescue with the HEC (human external cargo) system.
in canada, anyway, there is an STC for the HETS (helicopter emergency transport system) that involves a "Y" lanyard that is attached to the a/c cargo hook, a belly-band which is rigged through the cabin of the aircraft, and the longline. the system may or may not use a spotter riding along in the aircraft to actuate a manual release on the Y lanyard in case of emergency, or there is a remote safety hook on the Y lanyard that has a hydraulically actuated release mechanism that is controlled by the pilot. this system is nice as it does away with the spotter and therefore there are fewer people involved in the rescue.
the rescue techs have full-on climbing harnesses and are attached by carrabiners to the longline. all triple action hardware that is certified to something like avagadros number of newtons. pretty strong stuff i gather.
perhaps, if you google "emergco" you might find the website for the manufacturer of these gizmos. i'd do it myself but we have a newborn and it is getting late and i must get some beauty sleep (my wife tells me i am sorely lacking).
as far as training goes, there is a fair amount of classroom time spent dealing with the gear, rigging of the gear, procedures, psychology, etc. the flying consists of a rodeo where you have to place a longline into targets (we used empty 45 gallon drums) 3 times in 3 barrels within a certain amount of time (i cannot remember) and then hold the hook 2' above the ground in a 10'X10' square for 2 mins.
then with a longline on we had to perform emergency procedures such as tail rotor falilures/stuck pedal, hydraulic failures, engine failures (nothing to the ground) as though we had a live load on. this involved simulated training with a spotter on board who would activate the release on the belly band, and then comms with the rescue tech on the end of the line. potentially pretty frightening stuff.
after all that you do a flight with a live load (usually one of the rescue technicians who is there as an instructor) where checklists (provided in the ground school) are thoroughly gone over, comms checked and rechecked, hand signals rehearsed etc etc. the flight involves a take-off, hold, set-down, and a circuit into an insertion point with the guy on the end of a 150' line.
the final exam consists of a rescue scenario involving a dummy placed in a spot, do a recce with rescue tech and spotter, sling the tech into the dummy's location, wait for packaging, return to extract the rescue tech. then a debrief.
hope this answers some of your ?'s,
fp

i should mention that the rescue system that we use in our VFR operations is a fixed line, with no rappel or hoisting capability.

[Gordy]

Send me a PM...this is rappel but same principles:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j35/helokat/LaFawnduh%2008/_IGP2609rappel08-1.jpg

[Cornish Jack]

More or less OT - we did trials at Boscombe on the Seaking using the underslung hook with a 'jungle penetrator' - a heavy anchor-like device, the prongs of which folded out to provide 'seats' for four persons to be extracted from deep jungle. Trials used (naturally) dummies and the deployed line was IIRC 300' long. Trial was to work up in speed stages to check flyability and stability. Extraordinary result at (from memory) 50-60 kts, the rope developed a motion that I can only describe as a 'rotary sinusoidal whip' which increased in amplitude and eventually detached itself and pax for unimpeded let-down onto Salisbury Plain. Don't think it went into service!!:E

[wmy]

REGA and other HEMS operators (Air Glaciers and Air Zermatt) in Switzerland do long line slinging with up to 660ft ropes. Double (certified) cargo hooks and / or additional (certified) securing is needed.
Here's a short tv-clip of AGL-Longline Training:
Rettung an der Longline - 10vor10 - Schweizer Fernsehen: SF Videoportal (http://www.videoportal.sf.tv/video?id=f2c8f364-20f3-4edb-8486-a9cfe879f426)

walter

[hihover]

SOPs for underslinging live people will vary depending on the job you want to do and what you are trying to achieve. It is such an uncommon task that I would expect anyone who does it to write their own set of SOPs based on that job/aircraft/equipment/acceptable risk.....amongst other factors. I don't think you'll find one set that covers all operations.

I used to use a "Billy Pugh" quite a bit to lift people off buildings. Easy to use directly onto the hook but I had to establish and train using strict SOPs for possible aircraft malfunctions.

Dangling people underneath helicopters is dodgy stuff. If this is something you are going to do, I would recommend you get professional instruction on the equipment and professional guidance with your SOPs.

Tam