The newly approved system, which is compliant with the latest FAR 27.865 and FAA AC133-1B HEC standards, comes at a time when the helicopter industry is challenged during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jeff Yarnold, Vice President for Boost Systems, said: “We have remained in contact with MD 500 operators over the past several months, and we are very aware of the financial challenges they are facing. In addressing this, our goal is to work with operators to ensure they have access to our best-in-class HEC systems.

“We’ve also made the decision to package our MD 500 HEC systems with our FAA-approved personnel carrying device systems to provide operators with even greater financial and operational value.”

The system is recommended for external load missions including SAR, law enforcement and rescue operations, as well as cargo transport.