ROTOR Magazine2019 Spring1 Questions 4 Answers

What new technological breakthrough would benefit your operations?

By May 22, 2019March 26th, 2021No Comments

A deicing system for light twin helicopters with a useful weight penalty and price. It would be a revolution for HAA in parts of the world where icing is an issue.
– Erik Normann, Drøbak, Norway

Plug ’n fly electronic ignition for piston engines (We’re still using magnetos? C’mon man!)
– Dave Hynes, Hampton Roads, VA, USA

Why isn’t there a laser rangefinder that would keep you aware of obstacles? Cars have them.
– James Maxxwell, Jacksonville, FL, USA

Inexpensive radar altimeters for helicopters. Existing and certified RA technology is well over 10 years old and at least $25,000 per helicopter installed. With all the recent developments in the drone and autonomous vehicle sectors, the cost of reliable sensing that could be used for helicopter altitude sensing has plummeted to where an installed cost could be less than 1⁄10 of that price per helicopter: $2,500.
– Wesley Verkaart, Plymouth, MA, USA

Synthetic vision inspection of aircraft.
– Joel Collins, Maui, HI, USA

LED induced-voltage powered marker lights on electrical distribution power lines crossing any major highways that might be routinely used as landing zones for HAA operations.
– Rick Bartlett, Cumberland, MD, USA

Many single-engine helicopters possess avionics capable of supporting IFR flight. The FAA’s support for single-engine IFR certification would reduce the number of fatal accidents, especially due to controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).
– Chris Baur, Kingwood, TX, USA

My operation could really use a patient litter for an R66.
– Mark Spangler, Glendale, AZ, USA

Affordable eye-movement tracking devices for seeing what students are doing in their scan patterns.
– Candise Tu, Carlsbad, CA, USA

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