PINEY FLATS, TN -- Dart Helicopter Services announces that its affiliated partner, Dart Aerospace Ltd., has received EASA certification of the Round-I-Beam skidtube for SA 315 aircraft. FAA and Transport Canada STCs have already been received.
"The Dart Round-I-Beam skidtube has been providing the helicopter industry with a more durable and functional skidtube for over 13 years," says Bill Beckett, General Manager DART Aerospace Ltd. "Dart is pleased to now be bringing this proven technology to SA 315 operators in Europe."
Dart created the Round-I-Beam skidtube because it felt that conventional skidtubes were under-designed for the types of landings most helicopters encounter. Conventional skidtubes tend to puncture, dent, and bend when faced with the critical loading conditions encountered when landing on uneven ground.
Dart's patented Round-I-Beam technology combines the conventional round tube with the strength of the I-beam made from 6061-T6 aluminum. The central I-beam web absorbs most of the impact on landing so the tube maintains its integrity. Even with the addition of a central web, the weight is comparable to that of conventional skidtubes.
The Dart Round-I-Beam skidtube was designed to accommodate the extreme conditions involved in military use.
