US Coast Guard Uses an MTNW Running Line Tensiometer for R&D
Through one of our partners, Dillon Quality Plus, the Coast Guard purchased and used our HRT-3mm Running Line Tensiometer (or line rider) to measure the cable tension loads during some qualification testing on an improved rescue hoist for the Coast Guard H-65 Dolphin Helicopter.
An HH-65C flight crew hoists an injured hiker to safety from a mountain peak in WA at an altitude of 6,300 feet.
The hoist was improved by adding a clutch designed to release if the cable forces exceed a known value. The Coast Guard tested the release force pulling on the cable at various speeds from 1 in/s to 30 in/s. After the hoist passed this testing, the Coast Guard then conducted a number of drop tests that consisted of a 600 pound mass attached to the end of the cable and various amounts of slack in the cable from 1 to 5ft.
During all testing, the tensiometer (or dynamometer) was attached to the cable and the load output was recorded. The HRT-3mm system worked perfectly.
The HRT-3mm is designed to measure running line cable tension loads from 0-13,000 lbs. It only weighs 30lbs and is compact but reliable.
Tags: cable tension monitoring, calibration, Coast Guard, HH-65C, HH-65C Dolphin Helicopter, Injured Hiker, Line Rider, Line Tension, Running Line Tensiometer, Search and Rescue, tensiometers, tension meter, winch payout, winch tension
This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 3:34 pm and is filed under Line Control Systems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
