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Onboard Systems International, Inc., a leading provider of innovative helicopter cargo hook equipment, announced that it has obtained Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supplemental type certification for several new cargo hook kits for the MD Helicopters MD 500 aircraft featuring its Surefire release technology. Onboard has also submitted these systems to Transport Canada for certification.
The Surefire circuit requires a purposeful, half-second press against the hook release button, guarding against inadvertent releases caused by accidental contact with the release button during flight.
“We first introduced the Surefire release technology on our non-rotating medium Bell cargo hook kits, and then rolled it out to some of our Airbus Helicopter kits last year,” said Karsten Lemmon, vice-president of sales and marketing for Onboard Systems. “Customer requests for the Surefire release option continue to come in for other aircraft, so we are in the process of rolling out this technology to more and more cargo hook kits.”
The newly certified Surefire cargo hook kits for the MD 500 include the TALON LC hydraulic hook kit (P/N 200-378-10), the TALON LC hydraulic hook kit with Onboard weighing system (P/N 200-379-10) and the TALON LC hydraulic hook kit with Onboard weighing system and night vision goggle (NVG) backlight (P/N 200-379-11).
In addition to offering the Surefire release technology option on new equipment, Onboard Systems can upgrade existing equipment for select models of certified cargo hooks at the factory during overhauls or upon request. Upgrade kits will also be available for operators with the capabilities to perform this work in house or through a local service facility.
