1. The use of helicopters
in disaster relief operations
David Alexander
University College London

2. The helicopter is a versatile vehicle for
emergency operations but: (a) it is not
like a road vehicle, (b) special procedures
need to be observed to ensure safety.

3. It is as important for emergency
workers on the ground to understand
the rules of helicopter operation
as it is for those in the aircraft

4. Accidents are unlikely if proper procedures
are rigorously followed by all participants.

5. Aircraft characteristics
• must be suited to task undertaken
• size and power: two-engine
model preferable?
• range (km) & fuel capacity/consumption
• manoeuverability
• maintenance cycle and ratio of
flying time to maintenance time
• communications equipment and system.

6. Equipment
• accommodation: e.g. for patients,
medical personnel, rescuers
• ambulance equipment (e.g. stretcher,
medicine chest, defibrilator)?
• motorised winch facilities on board
(with winch operator)?.

7. Risk reduction
• cockpit visibility?
• blind-flying navigation system?
• tail-rotor protection system?
• wire-strike protection system?.

8. Crew
• pilot (co-pilot needed?)
• doctor & paramedics for air ambulances
•rescuers:
- rosters and availability
- set duty period or 24-hour?
- time required to notify
and scramble crew
- call-up procedures
• mechanics.

9. Organisation
• what configuration of usage will funding
permit?
- now and in the future
- for aircraft, crew and equipment
• administrative arrangements
- lease, buy or hire the aircraft?
- subcontract the crewing?
- type and cost of maintenance contract
- stabling, maintenance & landing rights
- stated availability (nights/weekends?).

10. Training is essential for
for helicopter rescue work
• flight patterns
• search procedures (sortie
patterns, co-ordination, altitudes)
• rescue procedures
• frequency and type of
training simulations.

11. Sortie pattern for searches

12. Missions
• area normally covered
- extended by mutual assistance pacts?
- period of coverage (nocturnal, holidays?)
• flight-path clearance arrangements
• preconditions for call-out
and rescue operations
• coordination with ground.based rescuers.

13. Hazards: wire-strike (cables not
visible looking down against the ground)
• fly 360-degree circle before landing
• look for utility poles
• do not fly low over ridge crests
• restrict low flying and
landing in poor visibility
• wire-strike protection system (WSPT).

14. Hazards
• fog (blind flying navigation equipment?)
• icing (deicing equipment, procedures?)
• storms and high winds
• darkness (spotlights? infrared sights?)
• landing area safety?.

15. Procedures - Helipads
• must not be constricted by buildings,
cables, vegetation, masts, poles
• identification marks?
• stability, drainage, reinforcement?
• nocturnal illumination?
how to turn it on?.

16. Procedures - Field Landing
• never on motorways
• fully supervised landing on roads
• prior surveillance for
landing on unmarked sites
• illumination for nocturnal landings.

17. Procedures - Rescues
• mountain work
• suspended rescues (building
sites, cable cars, cranes, etc.)
• cliff-side rescues
• roadside work
• rescues from boats, ships and oil rigs.

18. Procedures - Safety
• emergency landing practice
• are maps of utility lines
available and up-to-date?
• size and weight parameters for
loads carried (internal and external)
• limiting flight conditions
• retraining programmes
• limitations on workloads.

19. Activation of helicopter missions
occurs in response to...
• emergency alarm procedure
leading to scramble
• decision by flight administrator
• request by organisations
affiliated to helicopter service.

20. Use of helicopters in civil protection
• where meteorological conditions permit
use of helicopter
- reconnaissance missions to
size up the problem and needs
• where helicopter is best or only
available means of transport for
- rescues
- airlift of technical or medical
staff, supplies or equipment
- airlift of seriously injured patients.

21. Risks associated with helicopters
Rotors
• wind can turn objects into missiles
• strict boarding and disembarkation
requirements to avoid injury
Temperature
• high temperature exhaust
from motors can be dangerous
Noise
• high frequency, high
volume noise from turbines.

22. Human error leading to crashes
or incidents results from:-
• inexperience of lack of adequate training
• fear, leading to lack of cool judgement
• deliberate flouting of safety rules
• failure to follow specified
maintenance procedures.

23. Meteorological problems
Fog
• sight navigation impossible in low visibility
Rain
• thunderstorms can be dangerous
• rain can make field landing sites boggy
Snow
• falling or whirling snow reduces visibility
• ice forms on helicopter or in air intakes
Wind
• gusting causes dangerous flying conditions.

24. Landing area
• designated: airport, heliport, helipad
• not designated: sports pitch,
field, road, motorway, city
square, car park, etc.

25. Landing area
• must be kept free of obstacles for
50-80 m radius, including objects
set in motion by rotor vortices
• ambulances and personnel stationed
at a distance from landing point
• uneven landing spots (potholes, etc.)
can lead to impact of tail on ground.

26. Requirements for landing on unofficial site
• no loose obstacles in 50-80 m radius
• no suspended wires in vicinity
• good illumination (night or in bad visibility)
• crowds and unauthorized people to be
- kept away at all times
- kept under constant surveillance
• dry, dusty terrain to be watered down
• if possible, not on loose snow
• on firm, well-drained ground
• on ice, helicopter can twist
around (tail-rotor hazard).

27. How to make civil protection
requests for helicopter support
• reason: what has happened,
where and when
• how many people, how
much equipment to airlift
• are there any injured,
if so, what injuries?
• is a hoist needed?
• are specialized personnel needed?
• can helicopter wait at site with engine
running (estimated waiting time)?

28. How to make civil protection
requests for helicopter support
• clearly describe obstacles
in vicinity of landing site
• weather conditions (visibility at site,
on route; wind strength, direction,
precipitation, storms, etc.)
• describe landing site
• are there emergency personnel at site
that can help with landing procedures?
• phone no. for future communications.

30. Hoe to indicate location
• geographical coordinates: latitude,
longitude (e.g. with GPS)
• radial distance by
aeronautical radio beacon
• refer to objects and phenomena
clearly visible & identifiable from air
• use clock positions (e.g. at
3 pm with respect to your
current position and path).

31. Conclusion: helicopters are versatile vehicles
of great use in emergencies, but it is impe-
rative that strict safety rules be observed.