Salus Aviation has developed a multi-purpose dual hook for use on the BK117 helicopter and announced this system has been approved by Transport Canada.
This dual hook system meets 29.865 requirements and is capable of Class B and D human external cargo (HEC) load combinations per Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) AC133-1B. FAA certification is pending in 2023.
“The Salus BK117-850D2 aircraft equipped with the dual hook provides human external cargo (HEC) operators with the most cost-effective solution in regard to achieving Cat A/PC 1 safety performance,” said Wayne Christie, executive general manager of aircraft sales and leasing.
The dual cargo hook system provides operational ease and versatility, and the removable dual hook and beam assembly can be installed and removed in minutes without tooling.
The approved supplemental type certificate (STC) offers multi-purpose HEC and non-HEC capability with no reconfiguration required. The dual hook system comes with improved 1,400—kilogram primary cargo hook capability (increased from the 1,200 kg original equipment manufacturer standard) and a 500 kilogram secondary HEC hook, giving the operator the versatility of using the system for human cargo or standard external load cargo without changing configurations.
The hooks remain clear of the ground when the aircraft lands, reducing wear and unintended snagging. This system will allow operators to conduct operations including emergency medical services, firefighting, utility, powerline, search-and-rescue, and personnel transfer capabilities.
This press release was prepared and distributed by Salus Aviation.
