Hoist Principles
I played football for four NFL teams and as I transitioned between franchises, the similarity of the offenses was surprising. Even though the names of the pass routes and blocking schemes varied and there were small nuances in technique and method, the principles remained the same. If you were trying to keep a job (like I was), understanding the underlying principles made you effective in any offense, regardless of the team.
Similarly, with respect to helicopter hoists, terminology and technique may vary among hoist operators but the principles, on which hoist methods are based, should remain the same. By establishing clear operating principles for an effective hoist, different rescue services are empowered to evaluate and modify their own hoisting technique and employ the method that facilitates the principles for an effective hoist.
An effective helicopter hoist is built upon strong crew coordination and disciplined cable management. The essence of crew coordination is a shared mental model—each team member must clearly understand the evolution before it begins. Throughout the evolution the flight mechanic (hoist operator) communicates “advisories” that provide whole crew situational awareness on hoist progression and prompts the crew to adjust together mid-hoist if conditions change.
Specific communication to position the helicopter (known as “conns”) are critical in the flight mechanic’s “quarterbacking” of a hoist evolution. Effective conns are accurate, concise, and timely, providing clear (standard) information about direction, distance, and rate, definitively stating when movement should stop. Pilots must respond to these conns in a manner that is responsive, assertive (when needed), and smooth, ensuring that the helicopter reacts appropriately and is a stable platform to support the hoist operator’s cable management.
As the hoist environment becomes more dynamic, helicopter control and hoist control, the two key facets of cable management, are paramount to a successful hoist operation. For cable handling, the flight mechanic must control the hoist to optimize cable slack or tension using cable rate – the speed of payout or retrieval (1a), cable slack or tension – the amount of catenary in cable (1b), and cable anticipation – adjustments to prepare for future helicopter or survivor movement (1c). At the same time, the flight mechanic and pilot must work together to move the aircraft to the appropriate position (2a), smoothly adjusting closure rates as necessary (2b), at a stable altitude (2c), while also anticipating swimmer and survivor movement, which may require preemptive helicopter movement or positioning to assist with future cable management.
Sound crew coordination and efficient cable management are integral to an effective hoist operation. The crew, through a shared mental model, should work together seamlessly as the flight mechanic handles the cable management by coordinating both aircraft and hoist control in concert with the environment.
As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble. –Ralph Waldo Emerson