Equipment & Furnishings

Crashworthy seats, emergency and over-water equipment, the ELT and cargo hoist/hook.

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Main ideas

ATA 25 covers the helicopter cabin interior — seats and restraints (often crashworthy, energy-absorbing), cargo/sling-load provisions, and role equipment (hoist, medical, floats) — certified for strength, flammability and crashworthiness.
EMERGENCY equipment includes life rafts and jackets, an emergency locator transmitter (ELT), portable fire extinguishers and first-aid kits; emergency flotation gear (pop-out floats) is fitted for over-water operations.
The ELT transmits a distress signal on 406 MHz (with 121.5 MHz homing) to the Cospas-Sarsat satellite system.
Crashworthy, stroking seats and energy-absorbing structure are emphasised because helicopters can experience high vertical impact loads.
Cargo hooks/hoists for external loads are load-rated and have an emergency (electrical and manual) release.
⚠ Exam trap: the ELT transmits on 406 MHz to satellites; helicopter seats are typically crashworthy/energy-absorbing for vertical impacts, and over-water types carry emergency flotation gear (pop-out floats).

Solved examples

Why are helicopter crew and passenger seats designed to 'stroke' (compress) on impact?
A helicopter can strike the ground with a high vertical velocity (e.g. after a power loss late in autorotation). Energy-absorbing 'stroking' seats compress in a controlled way to limit the vertical deceleration transmitted to the occupant's spine, greatly reducing injury. This crashworthiness is a defining feature of helicopter equipment and furnishings.

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