San Diego Fire-Rescue uses the inlet barrier filter on their S-70i Fire Hawk.
What is an Inlet Barrier Filter? By Lorie Symon and Brian Kellogg Located in Northern California, Aerometals is no stranger to wildfires. Recently the company experienced the CALDOR fire firsthand. This fire burned in excess of 220,000 acres of state and federal forest. The company expressed gratitude to firefighters that were responsible for saving the homes of multiple employees. Due to the increase in fire activity in the state of California, the Sikorsky Fire Hawk is quickly becoming the helicopter of choice for our state and local fire departments. Straight from the Lockheed Martin website, “Born a Black Hawk helicopter, the Sikorsky Fire Hawk aircraft relies on its proven military design to endure the unrelenting physical stress demanded of the aerial firefighting and utility mission.” One of these stressors is wildfire smoke. How do smoke and the particles it contains affect engines? Enter the Aerometals Engine Inlet Barrier Filter (IBF). Almost every engine utilized in our everyday lives has an air filter - your car, motorcycle, even your lawnmower. That air filter is essential to the maintenance and longevity of the engine. Helicopter engines, however, do not. The addition of an inlet barrier filter to the aircraft significantly reduces the number of airborne particles that are ingested into the engine. AF 70 | aerialfiremag.com
Aerometals (through its predecessor FDC/Aerofilters) has been a pioneer in the development of Engine Inlet Barrier Filter systems for helicopters since 1987. To date, Aerometals has delivered nearly 3,000 systems worldwide. As a vertically integrated developer and manufacturer, all systems are designed, developed, certified, and manufactured by Aerometals. The newest product offering is the H60/S70 Inlet Barrier Filter. It has been designed utilizing the latest technologies, extensively tested, and certified by the FAA. Inlet Barrier Filters such as the one featured above for the Sikorsky Fire Hawk significantly reduce the number of airborne particles that can be ingested into engines.
The filter itself is a pleated and oil-impregnated design that results in up to 99.3% capture efficiency. The filter collects sand, dirt, and debris that is then washed away instead of being ingested into the engine. This in turn significantly reduces erosion to engine components and foreign object damage. Not only do filters extend engine life, but they also reduce engine overhaul costs and aircraft downtime. The filter media will also extract up to 96% of salt nuclei from the air in a marine environment. ➤
