HELICOPTER OPERATIONS

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HELICOPTER OPERATIONS
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Helicopter Types
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Helicopter Types

• Cormorant
• Messerschmidt

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Helicopter Types
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Helicopter Types
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Helicopter Types - Cormorant
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Helicopter Types - Messerschmitt Bo 105
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Helicopter Types - Messerschmitt Bo 105
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Helicopter Types

• It is also likely that certain civilian
  helicopters might be involved with a medical
  evacuation from a shore landing site.

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Helicopter Uses
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Helicopter Uses

• Transfer of injured persons
• Searching
• Rescue
• Transport of survivors

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Transfer of Injured Persons
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Transfer of Injured Persons

• To speed up the transport of a patient to an
  appropriate facility to improve the patient's
  survival and recovery?
• To extract a patient where their condition could
  be adversely affected by weather, road or wave
  conditions, or other factors affecting the use of
  ground transportation seriously delay the
  patient's access to advanced life support care?

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Transfer of Injured Persons

• To provide the clinical skills or equipment
  needed to care for the patient during transport.

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Information Needed By Helicopter
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Information Needed By Helicopter

• Joint Rescue Coordination Centre will request the
  use of a helicopter if it is deemed necessary.

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Information Needed By Helicopter 1

• RCM-SAR XX
• Exact location of the vessel or accident,
  Latitude and Longitude
• Accident location in relation to major landmarks
• Nature of Accident
• Number and relative ages of patients

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Information Needed By Helicopter 2

• Types of injuries of patients to be transported
• Have patients been involved in a prolonged
  extrication
• Frequency and call signs to communicate with
  auxiliary crews from the helicopter

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Winching Operations
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Winching Operations

• At NO time are winching operations to take place
  off an open or partially enclosed rescue vessel.
  The dangers of capsize in the rotor down wash is
  too great.
• When making a rendezvous with a helicopter, find
  and agree with the helicopter a suitable place
  for the rescue vessel to put the patient ashore,
  where the helicopter can land to pick the
  casualty up.

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Winching Operations

• The helicopter pilot sits in the starboard seat
  of the cockpit and the winch is generally fitted
  above the starboard main door.
• The vessel likely be requested to steer a course.
  
• The helicopter will then approach with her head
  about 30 to 60 to port of the vessels course,
  as this will allow the pilot to see the vessel
  and to keep station on it, whilst any winching
  manoeuvres take place.

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Winching Operations
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Winching Operations

• Winching procedures of helicopters above vessels
  should pay particular attention to
  transfer-of-personnel operations in restricted
  visibility or bad weather.

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Winching Operations

• Before authorizing winching operations, the
  Coxswain should ascertain that
• 1. the deck, overdeck and approach area(i) are
  clear of all foreign objects and debris, and(ii)
  have all loose objects, including personnel
  headgear, secured
• 2. members of the deck party are wearing
  hardhats

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Winching Operations
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Winching Operations

• 3. the deck party is not to touch the winch wire
  until it has been properly grounded to prevent
  inadvertent discharge of static electricity
• 4. all personnel to be transferred between the
  vessel and the helicopter have been fully briefed
  on winching procedures
• 5. The winch wire is not to be fastened to the
  vessel in any way and

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Winching Operations

• 6. radio-telephone communications have been
  mutually established among the vessel and the
  helicopter
• Generally the helicopter will lower a crewman
  to a vessel to properly package a patient. The
  crewmans instructions are to be followed.

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Winching Operations
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Landing Site Requirements
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Landing Site Requirements

• Where a landing site is needed, it is most likely
  to be set up by shore-side rescue authorities or
  emergency responders.
• However these slides are included to give some
  idea of what is required.

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Landing Site Requirements

• The landing area should measure at least 60 feet
  square, but preferably larger (around 100 feet
  square)
• 1. Obstructions surrounding the site may
  necessitate it to be larger.
• 2. Remember that even though a helicopter may be
  able to land along a vertical plane in most
  situations, most helicopter pilots will want to
  have an approach and takeoff area.

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Landing Site Requirements

• Consider the type of ground.
• Don't want an extremely sloped or rocky field
• Notify pilot of any obstructions such as tall
  grass, rocks, or loose dirt. The pilots point of
  view causes him not to be able to see them until
  right on top of them
• Consider possible alternative sites if the
  accident site or first landing site chosen is
  possibly unfeasible.

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Landing Site Requirements
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Landing Site Requirements
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Landing Site Requirements
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Marking the Landing Site

• Mark the corners of the site with secure items so
  that problems don't occur in the rotor wash.
• Smoke isnt recommended in this situation because
  most first responders in an overzealous mode will
  make the site invisible rather than just an edge

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Marking the Landing Site

• At night, the landing area should be illuminated,
  but take caution not to blind the pilot on
  landing and takeoff
• Have vehicles aim lights on low beams into the
  site
• The helicopter pilot will most likely contact the
  ground crew to also turn these off so that the
  pilot and crew isnt blinded on the approach
• All helicopters have some sort of landing light

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Marking the Landing Site Continued

• Clear the site of all debris that might get
  sucked up in the rotor wash (Failure to do this
  can cause an accident to the helicopter)
• Only put signal markers in the center of the
  landing area on request of the helicopter pilot.

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Marking the Landing Site
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Marking the Landing Site
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Approaching the Helicopter

• Stay out of the landing site unless accompanied
  by a member of the aircrew or directed by an
  aircrew member.
• Always approach the helicopter from the front of
  the aircraft because of helicopter blind spots
  and danger areas.
• Always approach the helicopter in a crouched
  position with IVs or long objects carried low or
  parallel to the ground

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Approaching the Helicopter

• NEVER approach the helicopter unless signaled to
  do so by the pilot. Approach from a 90 degree
  angle.
• NEVER approach the helicopter while the blades
  are in motion, unless assisted by the crew.
• AT NO TIME is anyone permitted near the tail of
  the helicopter.

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Approaching the Helicopter

• DO NOT assist the Flight Crew in the opening or
  closing of the helicopter doors.
• DO NOT unload equipment unless requested by the
  Flight Crew. The Flight Crew will supervise the
  loading of the patient.
• DO NOT smoke within the Landing Zone area.
• DO NOT run near the helicopter.

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Approaching the Helicopter

• DO NOT wear caps/hats or have loose items near
  the helicopter.
• NO vehicles are to be driven onto the Landing
  Zone area.
• DO NOT lift anything higher than your head.
• DO NOT shine bright lights at the helicopter
  since it may affect the pilot's night vision

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Helicopter Approach Area
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Helicopter Approach Area
Dangerous
Safe
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Approaching the Helicopter

• When approaching on a slope, approach from
  downhill, since the rotor will be closer on the
  uphill side normally, if unsure wait for an
  escort from the flight crew.
• Never walk around in the tail rotor area.

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Helicopter Approach Area
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General Guidelines

• Transferring patient(s) from the team litter to
  the helicopter litter is done outside of the
  landing area
• Only the flight crew will open and close the
  doors or compartments on the helicopter
• All unauthorized personnel should stay out of the
  landing area.

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Final Thoughts

• Helicopters dont fly - they just beat the air
  into submission!