Case Study| Boom Gates Essential for a Safe Landing

A NEW helicopter pad was opened last year at Tamworth hospital as part of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment project.

The limitations of the old heli-pad made it difficult to land if wind conditions were poor. The new heli-pad is better positioned and built closer to the emergency department to provide quick access to transport patients for urgent treatment.

Safety becomes an Issue: emergency helicopters vs road traffic

The new convenient location of the helicopter pad at Tamworth hospital created a unique set of circumstances:

• Situated between the heli-pad and the hospital is Smith Street
• Smith Street is a busy local roadway
• When helicopters land and take off they create a downdraft as high as 89km
• There is a danger to both vehicles and pedestrians from flying debris thrown by the high velocity flow near the rotor.

The proximity of the heli-pad to Smith Street means any vehicle or pedestrian in the vicinity while an emergency helicopter is trying to land or take off would be adversely affected by a strong downdraft.

As with all helicopter emergency cases, time is critical – a solution to safely managing access to the common traffic area between the aircraft and motor vehicles needed to involve a very quick response time.

The Boom Gate Solution

Rotech worked with Steensen Varming to devise an effective resolution to the issue of how to stop both the outgoing and incoming traffic in Smith Street when a helicopter was in the vicinity.

The result was to install two boom gates at along Smith Street to stop vehicle access and fit pedestrian warning lights at appropriate locations.

To save precious time – a long range transmitter fitted to the helicopter activates the following equipment from up to 20 km away:

Turn on

• Existing helipad lights
• Wind sock lights
• Flood lights
• Pedestrian warning lights
• Ambulance warning light

Boom gates close

30 seconds after the warning lights are activated the boom gates come down – this allows any traffic in the midstream to pass beyond the danger zone before the helicopter reaches the heli-pad.

Rotech’s solution plays an important role in getting patients quickly and safely from the heli-pad into the emergency department for treatment.

For more information about Rotech’s boom gate products visit our Automatic & Manual Boom Gates page.

We have been fulfilling all types of automation control demands for more than 15 years with a wide variety of products. Customised solutions are our speciality – we are certain that with our extensive range and high level of expertise, we will be able to provide you and your business with a customised solution to suit your need.

Call Alan Roberts at ROTECH on 07 3205 1123.