Being an expedition yacht able to carry a helicopter you tend to end up in places where jet fuel for your helicopter is not readily available. So we decided early on we wanted to be able to carry some extra jet fuel to be able to refuel the helicopter. In an earlier post about this subject, we wrote we had planned to adapt two former diesel fuel tanks for this purpose. Class rules require a cofferdam to surround the jet fuel tank as well as a double hull if the tank is on the outside like in our case.
Our initial idea was to basically add plating to the inside of the tank walls and hull to create the cofferdam space (about 20 cm wide) and make this hull inspectionable with an inspection camera like this one from Ridgid . Making the cofferdam wider to allow access would mean ending up with almost no fuel storage space and rules require you can inspect a cofferdam but don’t specifically say how big it has to be. But how to keep corrosion at bay and what about not being able to weld this plating on both sides?
So we started looking at other solutions like a tank we could remove. To store about 3 to 4 m3 of jet fuel (780-1038 gl.), one big tank would not be practical (how to get it in there?) Several smaller tanks? To start with, that would clearly violate the KIS principle. But then we learned about bladder tanks and we came accross the website of Australia’s Turtlepac and thought, if they can do that kind of stuff with a bladder tank – like throwing filled tanks out of helicopters - it will work for us! The obvious advantage of a bladder tank in our application is that when empty, you can easily remove it through the manhole and inspect the outer tank!
Continue Reading »
We finally found an elegant and safe solution to create even more space on our helideck in our effort to comply with the latest CAP 437 (North Sea off-shore helicopter operation guidelines) and MCA guidelines on helipads. Although we are not required to comply on a private yacht, and we already had an acceptable clearance, the solution shown below makes a good thing even better.
As you can see, the deck extracts almost 3 meters (10 ft.) allowing sufficient rotor tip clearance. Our situation is shown in the drawing below. Even when landing partly outside the forward area of the ‘H’-circle (1/2 D) we’re still OK. Continue Reading »
When thinking about the ideal helicopter for an expedition yacht, this is a nice one to have around. Reliable, spacious and folding blades. The Eurocopter AS 350B2 is a single-engined utility helicopter that can accommodate up to 7 passengers. Development of the AS 350 Ecureuil started in the early 70s under the Aérospatiale banner. The first flight of an Lycoming LTS101-powered machine took place on 27/06/1994. The second prototype was fitted with an Arriel 1A and took to the air on 14/02/1975. Certification (with a Turboméca Arriel 1B turboshaft powerplant) was achieved in October 1977. The single-engined AS 350B2, powered with a Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 engine was certified in April 1989. The AS 350 is marketed in North America as the AStar or SuperStar. The helicopter divisions of MBB from Germany and Aerospatiale from France merged in January 1992 to form the Eurocopter Group.
The three main rotor blades mean it has shorter blades than the Bell Jetranger that can carry only 5 people. And, they are foldable which is important when you have three main rotor blades ! And as you can see above, we just found a 3D model.
We’d like to be able to refuel a helicopter on our vessel and carry jet fuel for that purpose. Obviously, dealing with jet fuel, while not nearly as dangerous as avgas -it’s actually more like diesel - requires a lot of extra safety measures. That’s why we will make the arrangements compliant with Lloyds Register and MCA LY2 rules.
Basically, we plan to create a small platform hinged from the stern to have the required outside-deck-only access to the pump room. It also gives the chef the option to receive stores at the back when we are at anchor. And, it’s a place to temporary keep some garbage if needed. It will only require one watertight door + the access door to the pump room (with a VERY small pomp).
The pump room will have a small approved pump and the required ventilation. Below an illustration of how we plan to convert our stern diesel wing tanks into compliant jet fuel tanks.
By building a cofferdam in/around the tank we should be able to comply with the rules that require avoiding direct contact between jet fuel tank and the hull and a cofferdam space all around the tank that can be checked on leaks and has an appropriate drainage. In our case, any leakage would end up in the dirty oil tank.
Update: October, 2009: after consulting with a Lloyds surveyor, we decided that instead of building the cofferdam from steel, we’ll create space to install a bladder tank. Once this tank is put into place, it will be filled with foam to keep it in shape even when empty. Lloyds Register doesn’t like flexible connections so they’ll be rigid, requiring a bladder that maintains its shape.
Below a view from the rear. As soon as we get the OK for the concept from the Germanischer Lloyd, we’ll design the structure.
In my post on helipads on board, I briefly mentioned the issue of fuel storage. It’s not that simple at all if you want to do it safely. Yes, you can take a few portable fuel tanks like you use on your RIB with an outboard engine but what about say 2.000 liters (500 gallons) or more?
Well, start thinking about double walled tanks (cofferdams), special pump rooms, all kind of detection systems, etc. etc. I have started to look into building a fuel tank inside the starboard stern fuel tank. Whether it fits depends on the required cofferdam space between the new tank and the existing tank walls. You need to be able to crawl around for inspection purposes and be able to weld the new tank into the existing tank. We’d probably end up using like 10 m3 of space to create a 0.3 m3 tank (26.315 / 800 gallons). Hardly an efficient use of space. On the other hand, it IS very convenient to have ample storage inside the vessel!
And what’s the alternative? Put say 400 of these somewhere?? 
Not really.
But, thanks to our ever inventive friends in Germany, land of BMW’s, Weißwurst and other good things that make life better, I ran into a very interesting solution. Our own containerized gas pumping station!
The gentlemen at Krampitz build an amazingly wide variety of (portable) tank solutions. This standard 10 ft. container comes with electronic leak indicator, overfill protection system, transfer pump, switch board, static lead indicator, fire extinguisher, and more. It’s CSC approved so any shipping company will carry it. Capacity: a whopping 10.000 liters (about 2.630 gallons).
Amazing huh? Imagine, going cruising for a few months and know you have all the avgas or jetfuel that you need to fly as much as you want.
A true expedition vessel can’t really be without a helicopter. If you’re going to the middle of nowhere, you need flexible means of transportation. Only a heli fits the bill so we plan to make our ship ready for it.
Obviously, landing a helicopter on a small yacht involves a variety of safety issues. When I started looking into the rules set up by classification society Germanischer Lloyd, I learned there are basically two things to look at: landing and refuelling. If you just want to land (and take-off), there’s a variety of rules regarding safety precausions, fire fighting gear, the size of the helipad and surrounding approach area, etc. If you also want to refuel onboard, you run into a whole set of other rules regarding the safe storage of aviation fuel.
In this post I’ll start with the landing pad itself.
Below a diagram with measures of what Germanischer Lloyd considers a helipad they would certify. If we take a common helicopter like the Bell 206 Jetranger, ‘D’ = 12.15 m (39.2 ft.). So you need an aiming zone (the yellow H circle) of about 6 m. and a clear zone of 12.15 m.
Obviously the yacht above does not comply with these rules, not even if they move the Jacuzzi !
We’re more thinking into starting out with a Robinson R44 Ravin Clipper with pop-out floats. It’s ‘D’ is 11.5 m. (37.6 ft.). More on this in my next post.
Update: june 07:
Over the last few weeks I spoke with several people in the yachting business. They tend to agree a helicopter is the best way to go, due to its versatility and all-weather capacity. A Robinson R44 Clipper is probably the best, most cost-effective option. Here’s a good article about it regarding its use on yachts and this article is about helicopter use on mega yachts (PDF format).
Orginal post:
We plan to make our vessel suitable for helicopters to land on the stern top deck. But, we ran into an interesting option last week: an amphibious plane.
Like for instance the Zenith CH 801 sport utility aircraft, a true ‘bush plane’ with STOL performance (short take-off and landing) that takes a pilot and 4 passengers, can be equipped with amphibious floats, a 
cargo pod and has wings that can be removed easily (during long voyages or Panama Canal transits (they would stick out one foot on each side).
As this drawing below shows, this plane would fit quite nicely on our vessel.
Compared to a helicopter, a plane is a lot cheaper to operate, easier to fly (which makes it easier to find pilots), has a higher payload and a real STOL plane also lets us get in and out of tight spaces. The Zenith CH 801 is made by Zenith Aircraft Company in Missouri.
The floats are now made by a Canadian company called Can-Zac Aviation Ltd., the Zenith distributor in Canada. Here a few pictures of Zenith aircraft equipped with their floats.
Zenair Floats™ are produced using proven design techniques with modern aviation aluminum alloys that are durable and corrosion resistant. The respected Heintz-designed floats have been installed on dozens of different kit and ultralight planes and are in use around the world.
On the other hand, a Cessna 182 with amphibious floats would also be an acceptable, abeit more expensive alternative. It would have the advantage of being a certified airplane but…. no foldable wings. Well, not the most urgent issue on my plate right now .
