Onboard Systems International, Inc., a leading provider of innovative helicopter cargo hook equipment, has announced that its Onboard Weighing System for the AS332 Super Puma aircraft has received supplemental type certificates (STCs) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Onboard has also submitted this system to Transport Canada for certification.
Heli Austria GmbH was the launch customer for this project, purchasing six units for its fleet. According to Roy Knaus, president of Heli Austria, “We were pleased to work with Onboard Systems to expedite the development of this weighing system for the Super Puma, as we wanted to have a common system on all of our aircraft.
“We have experienced reduced lead times and cost with their equipment over the years, and look forward to the recording capabilities in the new C-40 Cockpit Indicator.”
Onboard Weighing Systems are a compliment to a helicopter’s external lifting system. They display the weight of the load being carried on the primary belly hook and consist of three components: the cockpit-mounted indicator, the internal harness, and the load cell.
A quick glance at the indicator instantly provides pilots with the exact weight of the cargo being lifted, reducing the risk of overload airframe stress and allowing them to make more informed aircraft loading decisions.
Onboard’s newly certified E-54 weighing system for the Airbus AS332 Super Puma aircraft is approved for use on the AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, and AS332L1 models.
