‘HeliDec’™ – The Helicopter Utility Access Platform
18th October 2016
Introducing the HeliDec™ from Working At Height Limited. The new help for accessing many surfaces of a Helicopter without bespoke docking, often out in the line or remote bases, of course staging will always be required for heavy maintenance, but for checks the much more affordable/low cost HeliDec™ could be ideal.
Like so many great ideas or inventions, we stumbled across the use for this newly branded product. The virtual stumble happened when measuring for docking on order with us for use around the new AW169, Augusta Westlands latest medium-sized twin-engine helicopter. The operator needed a simple solution to access the rear rotor blades but not with docking, something which could be easily positioned to allow engineers and pilots to carryout inspections. We tried our existing Glidelift™ platform, and eureka, it was ideal, with the platform passing over the stabilisers and offering the perfect height to reach the rotor blades.
We then moved onto the engine, and again we could position over the sponson and inside the footprint of the skids. Accessing the whole length of the main rotor blades for visual inspection was also achieved with ease. The operator then almost insisted we make it aircraft friendly and placed an order. And the HeliDec™ was born, now delivered with buffer protection on all leading edges, including the underside of the platform, a new livery that encourages use as it identifies itself clearly with helicopters and the aviation industry like no other utility platform to date. More importantly than all of that it keeps anyone who is engaged from time to time working on or inspecting a helicopter, safe.
The HeliDec™ does not replace docking or staging but what it does do is provide quick, easy and safe access, with guardrail protection and height adjustment up to a reach height of 4.00m (13ft). Too often leaning from step ladders or other unsuitable steps can result in an accident. We have no data on this, but the law of averages likely means that someone, somewhere has at least had a scare, near miss or even a fall reasonably often working on helicopters in the UK and around the world. We do not claim to end such situations, but we certainly think we can reduce them.
We believe the HeliDec™ offers so much around all helicopter types and operations, from commercial use, VIP transportation, search and rescue, air ambulance, offshore and windfarm support, Police/law enforcement, utility applications, firefighting, military and naval operations.