SPAES has developed an STC for the installation of additional life raft deployment handles on the EC155 helicopter. This ensures compliance with Regulation (EU) 2022/1254, in particular Part 26, Section 26.420 on emergency equipment for overwater flights.

The modification applies to EC155 helicopters used in HEMS and offshore operations and certified for IFR. These helicopters already have factory-installed life rafts mounted below the passenger doors on both sides of the fuselage. In the original configuration, the life rafts could be deployed either from the cockpit or via an external handle on the fuselage between the crew and passenger doors.

To meet the latest airworthiness requirements for overwater flights, the SPAES STC is introducing a third release handle on each side, installed directly on the raft containers. This allows the life rafts to be released by survivors in the water, even in the event of a capsized helicopter.

Key modification details: installation of an additional external handle per side, directly on the raft containers; the existing internal and external cable pull systems remain unchanged; use of the original connection box that connects the cockpit and outside handles to the release cable; each new handle is installed in the lower torso area (belly area) and marked with a black and yellow sign for high visibility; and an additional sign provides clear instructions for use in an emergency.

“This STC ensures that operators of the EC155 fully comply with the latest safety regulations while significantly improving the survival chances of crew and passengers in offshore scenarios,” says project manager Fabian Passler of SPAES. “By adding a low-positioned deployment handle, survivors in the water can activate the life rafts even in the most critical situations, including a capsized helicopter.”

The modification is designed to be implemented on both sides of the aircraft without affecting the existing release mechanisms. Installation will be performed by a Part 145-certified maintenance organisation on behalf of the operator.