US Navy Air Systems Command has issued a request for information to industry seeking white papers on commercially available off-the-shelf helicopter tethers which are used to connect personnel to rotary wing aircraft while flying with the doors open.
According to the RFI the following attributes are required;
•· Maximum operational length of the individual restraint tether shall not exceed 18 inches when fully extended (small helicopter operations), 30 inches for other rotary wing aircraft. Extended length is designed not to exceed an arm’s length so that the end of the tether is always within the individuals grasp.
– All hardware used shall meet the ANSI Z359 standard.
– If a snap shackle is used the retaining pin shall be swaged or similar such that it shall not fail if the pull ring is broken.
– If a carabineer is used it shall be locking.
– Hardware other than snap shackles and carabineers will be considered.
– Webbing and stitching with parachute grade thread shall have a tensile strength of 4,000 lbs., 5,000 lbs., or greater depending on configuration.
– Assembled restraint system shall have a minimum ultimate tensile strength of 4,000 lbs. or 5,000 lbs. depending on configuration.
– Ultimate strength shall be tested by fixing either end of the tether as it would be operationally and then pulling one end until failure.
Please note this is not request for proposals and the government only wants white papers and not samples. Interested parties have until 30 October to submitt. Look for full details at www.fbo.gov.
Downloading now. I bought the compass program when I read about the iOS version of TacNav and wasn’t very impressed, but I’m very much looking forward to giving the real deal a spin. Just in time for my next mountain trek too!
Welp, wrong article.