Winching in the UK
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Winching in the UK
Just a quick question to those of you in 'the know'.
If a small helicopter outfit (one aircraft) were to offer a HEMS service that included a winching capability, what rules would affect the winching? I thought that in the case of a single power unit failure, the helicopter must be capable of recovering the winchman?????
If not, what is the score using a single engined ac?
If a small helicopter outfit (one aircraft) were to offer a HEMS service that included a winching capability, what rules would affect the winching? I thought that in the case of a single power unit failure, the helicopter must be capable of recovering the winchman?????
If not, what is the score using a single engined ac?
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You'll need a specific permission from you-know-who.
I would be surprised if winching from a single would be allowed.
I would be surprised if winching from a single would be allowed.
Hoist is vertical , PT 133 D in the statesAvoid imitations
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The title says "In the UK".
In the UK we have winches on helicopters. We have winch operators and winchmen, too. They go up and down.
In the UK we have winches on helicopters. We have winch operators and winchmen, too. They go up and down.
From JAR OPS 3 Annex 1 to 3.005(H)
This would seem to be sensible except for the get-out clause - implying that that a single would be OK at a 'HEMS operating site'
(d) Operating requirements
(1) The Helicopter. During HHO, the
helicopter must be capable of sustaining a
critical power unit failure with the remaining
engine(s) at the appropriate power setting,
without hazard to the suspended
person(s)/cargo, third parties, or property.
(Except for HEMS HHO at a HEMS operating
site where the requirement need not be
applied.)
(1) The Helicopter. During HHO, the
helicopter must be capable of sustaining a
critical power unit failure with the remaining
engine(s) at the appropriate power setting,
without hazard to the suspended
person(s)/cargo, third parties, or property.
(Except for HEMS HHO at a HEMS operating
site where the requirement need not be
applied.)
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I'm sure B,F Goodrich/Lucas would be happy to outfit your helicopter with a "hoist" doubt they would send you a winch for lifting people.
The manufacture is who calls the shots,
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"Winching is when you pull along the ground, "
Try doing SAR in a singled engined helicopter and you may just end up doing that
, if you are lucky
Heads down, look out for the flack.
Try doing SAR in a singled engined helicopter and you may just end up doing that
, if you are luckyHeads down, look out for the flack.
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Interesting, I have been saying it cant be done, but jar says it can be at a hems site! Watch this space then.........
UK wording: A 'hoist' is used to 'winch'. (and it goes 'in' and 'out')
Been allowed in principle to winch at HEMS sites for years, with a twin, same as we've been allowed to accept the potential of crashing while manoevering at a HEMS site, if an engine fails (as long as you wear a helmet!)
It's just you need 'a little bit of practice' to swing the wire tensioner and its virtually impossible to get the required decent SSE hover for training, in any light twin.
Been allowed in principle to winch at HEMS sites for years, with a twin, same as we've been allowed to accept the potential of crashing while manoevering at a HEMS site, if an engine fails (as long as you wear a helmet!)
It's just you need 'a little bit of practice' to swing the wire tensioner and its virtually impossible to get the required decent SSE hover for training, in any light twin.
Last edited by Bertie Thruster; 21st Oct 2012 at 09:21.
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Hi Bertie, next time you speak to your old mates at Search and Rescue Standards, don't forget to tell them that hillberg wants the British military to change all their SOPs to remove the word "winching".
Might take some time for it to catch on though. It's been going on for so long now, we're just relative newcomers. My intro to SAR helicopters (in 1978) was as a full-time winch weight, over the sea, in a single engined Whirlwind HAR 10, being winched up and down, all day long. My outro was some twenty years later, winching people up and down, over the sea, in a twin.
Might take some time for it to catch on though. It's been going on for so long now, we're just relative newcomers. My intro to SAR helicopters (in 1978) was as a full-time winch weight, over the sea, in a single engined Whirlwind HAR 10, being winched up and down, all day long. My outro was some twenty years later, winching people up and down, over the sea, in a twin.
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Yes, there is a whole new world east of the Atlantic. 
Also a shame that, having successfully winched your injured person into you single engine helicopter, you can't then land at most hospital landing pads as you don't meet the performance criteria...