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Emergency landings for helicopters

Helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland has been carrying out model tests in our ship-model tank in order to study emergency landings on water and helicopters’ subsequent seaworthiness. Very few test facilities anywhere in the world perform tests of this sort today.

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Helicopter model

A large number of tests under severe weather conditions were performed, involving such important parameters as weight, centre of gravity, moment of inertia and buoyancy.

The objective of the seaworthiness tests was to validate the ability of a helicopter to withstand wind and waves under severe weather conditions. The emergency tests studied loads and stresses on the helicopter, as well as how it lands under difficult conditions. The tests involved fitting the helicopter with advanced instrumentation in order to measure pressure and lift on the rotor.

Key facts

Project start

2015