Air Transport

A Swiss company hopes to establish the use of helicopters to recover stricken cars during A1 Grand Prix races, following a successful demonstration of the method at the Dubai meeting last month.

The recovery method – dubbed “A1Recovery” – has been developed by Zurich-based Sports Car Air Recovery (SCAR) Systems in conjunction with Swiss helicopter operator Air Zermatt using an Aerospatiale AS315B Lama (pictured left). A proof-of-concept demonstration was undertaken at the Dubai round of the international A1 Grand Prix championship in December, following approval from motorsport governing body the FIA. Funding for the provision of the system during a race meeting comes from sponsorship.

“The intention was to show the FIA that this system is faster and safer than normal recovery methods such as cranes or tractors,” says Samuel Summermatter, who was the Air Zermatt operational pilot for the project.

Before the Dubai race, four car lifts were demonstrated, leading to approval for the method to be tested while a race was running, when two cars were recovered by helicopter. “We were only allowed to attend to undamaged cars, but everyone was impressed with how fast they were recovered,” says Summermatter.

The Lama was chosen as it is a light helicopter and generates the least rotor downwash, which minimises the amount of dust and debris that is disturbed during the recovery, says Summermatter: “With the 160ft [49m] cable we use there is almost no downwash.”

SCAR Systems managing director Jürgen König says he is in discussions with the FIA about further tests during A1 races, probably at the South African round in Durban on 29 January.

MAX KINGSLEY-JONES/LONDON