Numéro : 2146 - Year : 1991
Shipborne helicopters deck landing in full safety: the grid-harpoon system
L. GAUDART, DIRECTION DES CONSTRUCTIONS NAVALES (DCN) / INDRET
M. PACAULT, DIRECTION DES CONSTRUCTIONS NAVALES (DCN) / INDRET
Helicopters have been increasingly involved in marine applications since the early development stage of this type of aircrafts, some thirty years ago. First limited to military activities, the applications have now been extended to the civil field for a variety of missions such as surveillance, safety, and transport of passengers.
Whereas deck landing operations do not raise major difficulties under fair weather conditions, they may become hazardous in medium seas conditions and, above all, in rough seas, thus requiring the utilisation of specific arrangements in order to prevent injuries to people and damages to as highly expensive machines as helicopters.
DCN as gained long dated expertise in the design and development of such deck landing facilities :
*The so-called grid-harpoon system, ensuring snap hooking of the helicopter
*Ship's approach guiding system
The efficiency of this equipment, fully demonstrated after many years operating time at sea in the French Navy, currently offers extensive prospects for civil applications.
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