Magazine Helicopter Industry #102

HELICOPTER INDUSTRY I FOCUS I
©Leonardo
LEONARDO AT THE HEART
OF COVID-19 TRANSPORT
Faced with the pandemic, manufacturers are adapting and
striving to find new solutions to effectively support the work
of caregivers, particularly during the transfer of patients
from one hospital to another by helicopter.
Italy, which has been particularly affected by Covid-19
in Europe, has been able to benefit from the technologies
introduced by Leonardo in this field. In order to limit the
risk of contagion for the crew and medical personnel,
biological containment solutions specifically developed by
the manufacturer were used for patient transfers. These biocontainment
“cells” have been developed in collaboration
with the aeronautical authorities (ENAC – Italian Civil Aviation
Authority and EASA – European Aviation Safety Agency) and
comply with European standards for air ambulance services.
In addition to its equipment, Leonardo provides in parallel
real-time technical assistance and sanitation procedures
before and after patient transport and specific measures to
be followed when loading patients in order to limit the risk of
Covid-19 contagion.
Adaptation according to the cabin
The installation of the biological containment solution
developed by Leonardo not only optimises the space on board
the helicopters but also completely isolates the pilots and
passengers, while ensuring functionality and airworthiness.
To integrate this solution, Leonardo had to adapt its systems
to the constraints on board the helicopters, such as power
supply and ventilation systems, to make them as efficient as
those used in hospital intensive care units. If the integration
of such a system seems at first sight easy for a heavy
military aircraft with a large cabin, type HH-101 “Caesar”,
the same cannot be said for private operators. In fact, the
manufacturer has proposed specific solutions developed
especially for civil air ambulances, with smaller cabins and
short distance flights of 20 to 30 minutes.
The helicopter: a precious asset for the Covid-19 emergency
According to Leonardo, the devices have thus been integrated
in Italy, on the AW139 and AW169 models – used for medical
aid by several regions – as well as on the HH-101A “Caesar”
helicopters of the 15th Cervia Wing of the Italian Air Force
patient transport, since the beginning of the epidemic. For
its part, Babcock Aviation has obtained approval from the
Italian civil authorities and the British National Health Service
to use specific stretchers with the biological containment
system. Their deployment was also possible on the AW139
and AW169 helicopters in order to guarantee maximum
protection for the medical staff and crew. In the face of the
crisis, Leonardo recalled that helicopters are proving to be
an indispensable asset. More versatile than other types of
transport, the rotary wing remains to this day the safest
and fastest means of transferring patients with Covid-19.
The manufacturer pointed out that its range of aircraft had
carried out numerous missions of this type throughout the
world: from the United Kingdom with the AW159 Wildcat
and AW101 Merlin of the armed forces to the United States
with the operator Bristow Group, via Brazil and the company
Omni Táxi Aéreo, which both operated their AW139s to
evacuate patients potentially affected by the Covid-19.
Activity was also sustained in many other countries,
including Chile, Canada, Malaysia, Australia and Spain.
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