Helicopter Winching & Hoisting Gloves
After working as a military Aircrewman Loadmaster, and then as a civilian EMS Aircrewman, one thing remains apparent. We need high quality reliable equipment.
One of the primary functions of any Aircrewman is to operate the winch, and lets face it if we are in a situation where the winch is the only choice, the conditions are likely to be less than optimal. It is for this reason we must be well equipped and able to conduct the sequences as efficiently and as safely as possible. Having maximum control of the cable at all time, especially whilst under a heavy load is paramount to increase safety and efficiency. A high quality reliable winch glove is one way to increase safety and efficiency.
Why Wear a Glove?
Helicopter winching is no exact science. Every job or training sequence has a multitude of variables, load weight, spin, angle, height, weather, aircraft performance and many more. It is these variables which can make winching unpredictable, and managing unpredictable variables is what we do as professional Aircrewman.
There are a number of ways to compensate or negate obstacles while winching, you can change the location to avoid turbulence from terrain, you can climb the aircraft to create force on the load, use a tagline or Hi-line, any number of options dependent on the situation at hand. Having a quality winch glove gives you another tool in your tool box of options, physical manipulation of the cable itself.
Almost every winch sequence requires some level of physical manipulation of the cable. This amount can be small such as delivery of an empty winch hook directly into the hand of your down the wireman, or large when pendulum dampening the 120kg stretcher patient on a 150ft winch. A quality winch glove allows the operator to physically manipulate the cable when needed without fear of the cable cutting through the glove or limiting the force they can apply.
Types of Gloves.
Throughout the industry there are many types of glove being used by winch operators. Riggers gloves, fast rope gloves, Nomex flying gloves, tactical gloves and many others have been seen sporting the hands of helicopter winch operators. I personally have tried all of the above, and many others in the pursuit of a professional and reliable piece of equipment. Whilst all of the gloves listed above have worthy attributes, I have found none tick all the boxes for the needs of a helicopter winching glove.
What to look for in a glove.
The three main functions a glove must offer to be effective for helicopter crewman are, protection, dexterity and reliability.
Protection:
Protection of the operators hand is achieved by using a quality material that is thick enough to allow the operator to manipulate the cable, without the cable cutting through. Leather is the obvious choice, however getting the thickness right is the key to a good winch glove. Nomex flying gloves use one layer of good strong leather, and tactical gloves use layers of soft leather so the wearer can still have some feeling. Neither style last long with a weighted cable running next to them. The ideal design should be one with several layers of strong leather in the areas of high contact, and less layers on the rest of the glove to allow full hand movement.
Dexterity:
It is great to have a strong thick glove that the cable won't cut through thus protecting your hand, but this is pointless if you lack the dexterity to undo the winch hook, use a carabiner, flick a switch or use your torch. Riggers gloves are somewhat effective against the cable cutting through but offer very little in the way of fine dexterity. Wearing a fingerless fast roping or repelling glove over a Nomex flying glove is a good idea. It offers both hand protection and dexterity, but it does present other issues regarding reliability.
Reliability:
The biggest flaw in all the gloves I have mentioned, is the placement of the stitching. It is not due to poor design, by all means the gloves I have mentioned do their intended purposes very well. These gloves however were not designed to be used for helicopter winching. The stitching on all these gloves are located in the cable path. Once the cable has cut through the one or two threads holding the glove together, it is not long before the rest of the glove will fall apart. Winch operators need a glove where the stitching has been placed on the back of the hand away from the cable path, and re-enforced with adhesive to ensure it says together winch after winch. Whats the Answer?
A purpose made glove. Crewequip.com.au supply the best winch operates glove in the world. It is Purpose made and ticks all the requirements of an effective professional helicopter crewmans glove. The triple thickness goat leather means this glove won't wear through
any time soon, and the placement of the stitching away from where the
cable contacts your hand shows the thought and testing that has gone
into this well developed glove.The fingerless glove provides hand
protection whilst allowing finger dexterity.
It can be worn on its own or over a Nomex flying glove. I prefer to wear it over my Nomex Touch screen gloves to give me the most protection an functionality in the aircraft.
