Innovative Energy Attenuating Rotorcraft Cargo Restraint

One of the most critical functions of military helicopters especially in wartime is the safe and timely transportation of essential cargo to its destination. Reducing the loading time, enables military assets to be more rapidly deployed and minimizes the exposure time of personnel to enemy fire. Simplifying the loading process will also reduce the possibility of cargo being inappropriately or insufficiently restrained. Safe has conceived a length-adjustable energy absorption system that offers a reduction in the number of tie-down elements, distributes loads more uniformly amongst the available tie-down locations, reduces installation time and is scaleable to meet the requirements of different helicopters (interior space and tie-down provisions). The system is compatible with all types of cargo (palletized, containerized, unrestrained) including vehicles. The concept and outlined development program is also designed to reduce the Loadmaster’s burden in establishing the needed restraining elements and their locations. Overall, the envisioned system will greatly enhance the Navy's ability to transport cargo in a safe and expedient fashion.BENEFITS: Current cargo restraint systems consist of a number of load-carrying members, straps and chains, which carry loads only when loaded in tension. As a result all of the load, flight or crash, must be carried by only a portion of the restraint members. This results in a system in which large numbers of restraint members running in many directions are needed. They are inefficient to install, difficult to configure, and do not distribute the loads uniformly over the aircraft structure. The system conceived and proposed solves most of these problems by offering load-carrying members that carry loads in both tension and compression thus distributing the loads more uniformly, reducing the number of load-carrying members, reducing the difficulty of configuring the tie-down system, and decreasing the installation time. The system has application to the same uses in other branches of the military as well in commercial carriers.