Heli-Expo 2011: New Clutch on Breeze-Eastern Rescue Hoists Improves Coast Guard Helicopter Safety
Breeze-Eastern of Whippany, N.J., announced that the U.S.

Breeze-Eastern of Whippany, N.J., announced that the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has almost completed upgrading the rescue hoists of more than 100 HH-65 multi-mission cutter helicopters with Breeze-Eastern’s reactive overload clutch. The clutch is a next-generation improvement, according to the company, and provides a significant safety advantage over slip-clutch technology.

While slip clutches prevent cables from snapping under gradual increases in pressure when they exceed load limits, the reactive overload clutch will protect cables from snapping in the event a sudden exceedance occurs, for example, if the cable become entangled with a ship or tower.