The CGear Tactical Helimat has been designed and manufactured to quickly and simply solve the problem of ‘Brownout’ when landing helicopters in sandy, dusty and austere environments.
The unique ability of the helicopter to hover above, take off from, and land on unprepared areas – deserts, rocky fields, mountain tops - makes it vulnerable to ‘Brownout’ the phenomenon of dust and foreign object debris (FOD) thrown up by the helicopter rotor downwash.
A ‘Brownout’ can occur whether landing, taking off, or hovering. It can blind operators, sandblast and erode helicopter rotor blades, and force sand into sensitive engine parts, filters and can effect the helicopters sensitive electronic equipment.
The cost of ‘Brownouts’ is vast. In Iraq, Afghanistan and North Africa ‘Brownouts’ caused three out of every four helicopter accidents, with unnecessary loss of lives and hundreds of millions of dollars of equipment.
The CGear Tactical Helimat prevents ‘Brownout’ with multi-layering of polyethylene mesh with a unique open-weave design. It inhibits the sand and dust underneath from coming back up – even when pounded by the most powerful rotor down wash.
The Helimat is easy to deploy, being lightweight and easily transportable. It is also tough and durable. The fabric will not tear or fray because of its ‘Rip Stop’ weave technology and it is impervious to petrochemicals.
The size of each segment is 20 feet by 20 feet (6.1 metres by 6.1 metres). Sizing of the helimat is dependant on the rotor span of each particular helicopter, with dimensions of the helipad approximating 33 feet (6.1 metres) wider than rotor span, in all directions.
Normal commercial helicopters operating in austere environments would be able to land on various configurations of the Cgear Tactical Lightweight HeliMats depending on the rotor span of the helicopter. This would range from 40ft x 40ft (2 x 2 - 20ft Helimat segments) for smaller rotary aircraft or 60ft x 60ft (3 x 3 - 20ft Helimat segments) through to 80ft x 80ft (4 x 4 - 20ft Helimat segments) for larger helicopters.
The CGear Tactical Helimat has been extensively tested by the US Marine and other military organisations. In US Marine Corps trials at Navair Lakehurst Airbase, the CGear Tactical Helimat stood fast, even when the Marines attempted to lift and rip apart CGear’s joining and anchoring systems using a ‘Huey’, a ‘Black Hawk’, and a ‘Super Stallion’ helicopter. There was no risk of the Helimat being sucked up and tangled in the rotors when correctly installed.
The CGear Tactical Helimat provides a stable, safe helipad in the desert, snow or any arid or dangerous condition where Brownout or FOD occur.
The shape of the CGear Tactical helipad can be customised to suit individual requirements, and it can be quickly and easily moved from one task to another.
The Tactical Helimat can be purchased complete, which includes the fixing system, ‘Whacker’, repair kit and ‘How To’ book.
The Tactical Helimat can be purchased complete, as a fly away kit which includes the fixing system , ‘Wacker’, repair kit and ‘How to’ book. For further information, please visit www.cgear.com.