Denver Company Created Device To Help Prevent Spinning Helicopter Rescues

DENVER (CBS4) — The founders of Vita Inclinata Technologies in Denver believe their invention could have prevented what happened to the spinning helicopter rescue in Arizona. President and CEO Caleb Carr experienced a similar airlift accident that inspired him to develop a solution for stability.

"That happens quite often, but it's rare that it's caught on video," said Derek Sikora, co-founder of Vita Inclinata Technologies. "It's disheartening because you have such a stable aircraft and dynamic machine above, then you have a person out in the airspace who is highly disturbed and in danger."

Sikova says there are rescue situations that will be able to occur, that have never occurred before, with the integration of VIT's Load Stability System, or LSS.

"We design and build platform-independent hoist rescue stability solutions," said Sikova. "We use the technology's sensors to determine balance."

If it sounds over your head, that's because it is.

The LSS can stabilize any object below an aircraft up to 1,000 pounds in 60 knot gusts. That object could be a person, a generator, a barrel, or a rescue basket.

The LSS attaches to any hoisting cable without jeopardizing the line's integrity. The system determines the articulation needed to bring the object back to center, preventing it from spinning. Its fans stabilize the object's motion, rather than the pilot attempting to stabilize by maneuvering the aircraft.

"My underlying drive is to design and build technology that accounts for human error. Even if it's wind, downwash, human error, or a wartime situation where aircrafts have to maneuver away from obstacles. It's the same for the LSS," explained Sikora.

VIT is currently committed to supplying such a system to the USAF 129th Pararescue squadron. They're also working with the Colorado National Guard to integrate the system directly into rescue baskets.

"Eventually, private search and rescue crews like the Phoenix Fire Department will be enabled to ensure that this deadly spin is a thing of the past, enabling them to focus on their mission; bringing people home, every time," said Carr.

The LSS is still in the prototype phase, but VIT has been conducting demonstrations for the last 8 months. They hope to have it in the air and saving lives by 2020.

For more information visit https://vitatech.co/