Helicopter cargo hook equipment provider Onboard Systems International has received FAA STC certification for its dual cargo hook kit for the MD500 series. This cargo hook system meets the 14 CFR part 27 certification requirements for Human External Cargo (HEC) and has been built around a dual installation of Onboard's Talon LC hydraulic hook.

“This kit provides an STC-certified solution for a variety of CFR Part 133 external load missions including HEC, high-value cargo transport, utility line work, short haul and search and rescue,” says vice president of sales and marketing Karsten Lemmon. “The addition of a certified HEC cargo hook system to our growing line of external load equipment has been a top request from our customers for many years, and we are very excited to be able to offer this on a commercial basis.”

Onboard Systems partnered with Aerocraft to develop and certify the dual hook system which is approved for use on the 396D/E/F/FF and 500N helicopters as listed on the Type Certificate Data Sheet H3WE, Revision 26. The companies are also actively developing dual cargo hook systems for the Bell 206L and 407 aircraft.

Lemmon continues: “We decided to start our HEC programme with the MD500 because it is so popular with our utility line customers whose operations were greatly affected by the release of Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin SW-18-15 in May 2018. Our new dual hook system gives them a certified option for their missions. Future kits for other aircraft will assist those external load operators who require the extra load safety provided by a dual hook system.”

The kit features a user-friendly dual master cylinder that combines the backup hydraulic release for both hooks along with the electrical release for the secondary hook into a single unit. For added safety, Onboard's certified HEC kits use Talon LC hydraulic cargo hooks to minimise the risk of inadvertent cargo releases, caused by excessive movement during external load operations, which can activate an improperly rigged manual release cable on a cargo hook system.

In conjunction with the dual cargo hook kit, the company is also offering an HEC Longline Kit that includes many essential components for properly rigging an aircraft to carry human external cargo such as a Y-Rope, a rigging plate, longline, weight bag, lanyard and carabiners. Onboard's Y-Rope is required when conducting HEC missions using its MD500 dual cargo hook kit, as it provides a controlled interface between the primary and secondary cargo hooks and the longline. Alternative configurations or components may also be approved for use through the local aviation authority.