Debbie Packman
Your life could literally be in your hands thanks to another innovation from Safe Flight, inventors of the vibrating fixed wing Stall Warning system.
Head towards stand B21 in Hall 5 for a hands-on demo of its latest product, the Collective Shaker, designed to simultaneously monitor several engine and mast limits and warn the helicopter pilot when the craft has neared the critical point.
Transmission torque, engine exhaust gas temperature, engine gas producer speed and rotor speed are all monitored, and danger levels indicated to the pilot by an increasingly vigorous vibration as danger approaches.
When the pilot lowers the collective and reduces power to a safe level, the shaking stops, indicating a return to safe limits.
Feet
The Pedal Shaker operates on the same basis by warning the pilot through his feet when approaching the pedal limit during hover situations, high crosswind operations or high density situations where the power needed may exceed the power available.
"It's such a simple idea I don't know why we haven't done it before," says international marketing director, Norman Rosenblum.
"Today's helicopter pilots are increasingly burdened with communication, navigation and operational requirements, and eyes out of the cockpit flying has become the norm, especially for emergency medical services, offshore oil rig servicing and military operations. Our tactile warning system provides the missing ingredient."
Source: Flight Daily News