Nov 01 2024

Rotex Helicopter AG – K-MAXs in the Swiss Alps Posted 19 days ago ago by Admin

Rotex Helicopter is a true success story since 1997. Strong from flying about 30,000 missions, the operator is the only provider of K-Max service in Europe. The company that specializes in external loads has about 60 employees, more than 50,000 flight hours, and boasts 550 tons of daily capacity per aircraft.  With a fleet of three helicopters, the company, based in Kägiswil City, Switzerland, serves throughout Europe.

How did it all begin? A group of five people met 25 years ago to establish a strong service in the helicopter market with the project “Rotex Helicopter.” They were young, enthusiastic and they had a mutual vision. The team had significant experience in aerial work on different helicopters in Switzerland and abroad.

They wanted to forge their own path and take the lead. They knew the potential of the K-Max and decided without any doubt to create a helicopter company that only used this outstanding aircraft. Since its beginning, Rotex has regularly been called to clear areas and repair damage after natural disasters.

Independence was important, so the young business refused partnerships and the company had its own operating licence.  ”It required courage,” said Daniel Brunner, a  Rotex founder and one of the first K-Max pilots in Europe. We bet a lot on this motto: Customized solutions and a lot of work passion.”

As a specialized helicopter company, Rotex still offers a wide range of different services: logging, hydraulic wood grabbing (grapple), load transport, assembly/dismantling of installations (ski lifts, antennas, radios, powerlines, pylons, pipelines, cranes.) as well as firefighting and humanitarian aid.
 
Providing Solutions

The K-Max K-1200 has been exclusively built for transporting loads.

The single seater was developed and manufactured in the U. S. by Kaman Aerospace Corp. With its empty weight of 2,300 kilograms. ( approx. 5,070 pounds) and a payload of 2,722 kilograms, (6,001 pounds) it is one of the rare helicopters whose lift capacity is greater than its own weight. It consumes up to 50% less kerosene compared to similar helicopters in its weight class.

The main advantage of the K-Max is the minimal loss of performance at altitude and high temperature. Due to the special construction of the synchronized main rotors (Flettner system), it generates not much downwind currents and sounds out only 72 decibels.

These elements make it an exceptional and reliable work tool, which has proven itself for the transport of different types of loads.

At first it was said that mountains were not possible with the K-Max because of the lack of hydraulic assistance for the control. The Rotex team was able to prove that the aircraft is not only great in the forest, but is also perfectly suited to mountains and load transport as a stable platform with low noise level and low downwind generator. That’s two characteristics that the ground teams and people living near work areas continue to appreciate.

Into the Woods

Logging missions are one of the company’s main skills. Their service is a valuable complement to conventional logging, whether in remote areas or in sensitive urban regions. Helicopter transport shines in this area with fast and punctual interventions. The Rotex team is always proud to see an intact forest in place once the work is completed.

Helitrac  

The Helitrac provides another appreciated service. This forestry ground vehicle allows wood to be stacked safe and clean so that the conditions are met for optimal further processing.

On site, the Helitrac is nearby while helicopters unload tree trunks. It significantly increases the safety of the ground team’s work, and the customer benefits from organized work. Thus, small areas and forest roads can also serve as unloading sites. Flight times are reduced and efficiency on-site is improved. The Helitrac is the ideal machine for preparing wood for further use in complete safety at a lower cost. Rotex is the only company to offer this additional service in Switzerland and neighbouring countries.

Grapple

On difficult terrain, the hydraulic “Grapple” gripper is very popular. The hydraulic grabber is particularly suitable when wood must be removed from a difficult or dangerous area. This powerful grapple with an average clamping force of 2,300 kilograms (approx. 5,071 pounds) is controlled by the pilot from the cockpit. The heli can lift entire trees from the air, without the presence of people in risk areas.

Planning

The organization of each mission is carefully studied. The order of flights, the exact calculation of weights, the attachment points, as well as the coordination of specialist fitters and flight assistants must be determined. Thanks to the delayed arrival of the ground team and the helicopter, loads can be prepared, and valuable flight minutes saved.

Other Services

Rotex teams are also involved in firefighting and humanitarian aid. With each rotation, 2,500 liters (660 gallons) of water are poured precisely onto the target. In addition, the helicopter creates little downwind under the rotors, which improves the precise release of water.  

Training

An internal training concept has been created as the team must be trained specifically in the environments corresponding to all main areas of activity. Ongoing training of teams is the first condition to meet the requirements in the field, particularly in mountains where it is difficult. The goal is to provide the client with prepared, professional execution, and that takes a united, trained and committed team.

Simple and Strong Aircraft

The K-Max owes its performance to the Flettner double-rotor principle. It allows heavy loads to be transported with relatively low engine power. Thanks to the counter-rotating main rotors, the K-Max does not need a tail rotor; this saves weight and drive power.

The counter-meshing two-blade rotors are fixedly synchronized at 90 degrees via the main gear. The rotor blades are controlled using the Flettner flap on the rear edge of each blade. The control forces remain low and there is no need for hydraulic assistance as on traditional helicopters.

The aluminium half-shell fuselage is just wide enough to accommodate the pilot as well as the engine with transmission and fuel tank. The narrow shape ensures very good stability of the cell, especially for a better absorption of forces. Thanks to the simplicity of the construction, the empty mass remains low. Additionally, in the narrow fuselage, the pilot has a direct view of the external load from both sides of the cockpit. There is an armrest and a support on the fuselage, which ensures a comfortable seating position for the pilot during flights with loads and this increases precision.

The first flight of the K-Max took place in 1991 and no major modifications have been made to the machine since production began; its construction is still solid today. However, the safety of the helicopter could be considerably improved by strengthening the freewheel clutch, which sometimes caused problems in the early years. For the future, the manufacturer has promised a further improvement of the rotor blades.

Rotex has taken matters into its own hands and equipped the K-Max with a modernized cockpit. As part of a complex process that had to be approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the old navigation instruments were replaced by touch screens and the communications system completely redesigned. This modification facilitates the pilot's work in complex situations and during long flights.

 On the wish list of Hans Fässler, head of technical maintenance for the Rotex, there  should be new blades and a more modern engine for the K-Max. Yet, he said, “There is not much to improve, the K-Max fleet has proven itself with a significant volume of flight hours in difficult conditions.”

For engine maintenance, a collaboration is established with Airborne Engines Ltd, based in Vancouver, Canada. Rotex technical specialists have set their own stricter limits for certain parameters, so that the engines operate within the optimal range, for example during high-altitude missions. This benefits the lifetime of the turbines and gives the K-Max extra power.

Brunner, a co-founder of Rotex, sums up his feelings on the company, “When we wrote the name Rotex on a white sheet, I could not imagine what it would become; the name Rotex represents something we can be proud of. The Rotex story shows what is possible when everyone pulls together.”

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