AeroBrigham receives FAA STC approval for Bell 505 accessory fitting
Helicopter and airplane service center, completion, and heavy maintenance provider, AeroBrigham, has completed a new Bell 505 helicopter accessory fitting designed to improve safety
Developed as an attachment point for utility operations such as personal restraint harnesses during doors-off flight operations, the assembly is now FAA-approved as a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) component.
Each machined aluminum assembly can be easily attached to existing Bell 505 rear seat hard points and allows for two rings supporting a total of 600 pounds (300 pounds per side).
Safety can be enhanced with harness systems
The fitting can be used in any of the three aft seat positions and can be installed and removed without tools or log entries. Flight testing of the device proved that safety can certainly be enhanced for rear seat passengers wearing restraint harness systems when operating with doors off in the Bell 505.
In March, Swiss Rotor Solutions developed a Maximum Pilot View Kit (MPVK) for the AStar series light single engine turbine helicopters, which AeroBrigham is installing. Compared to other solutions, the MPVK lift window will expand the field of vision forwards, aft and underneath for pilots by a factor of 10 by using a single piece bubble door.
Clara Bullock
Clara Bullock is a writer for ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue. Initially a freelance writer for publications ranging from gardening news to music magazines, she has made the transition to writing about the ins and outs of travel insurance and aeromedicine. In her spare time she reviews books on Instagram and eats pasta.