21.10.2022

Prefabricated aluminium helipads are an in-demand solution to develop the transport infrastructure in remote and inaccessible areas, where stationary facilities are difficult to be built. Within just one month, five sites designed and produced by SEGAL, a foundry plant in Krasnoyarsk (part of SEGAL Group) have been installed in different regions.

The interest in aluminium mobile coverings is primarily due to their comparatively low weight and the fact that they can be installed quickly. For example, a basic cover set (SA01) designed for helicopters with a maximum take-off weight of maximum 60 tonnes can be installed in just 4 hours by a crew of four workers without the need to use heavy machinery and special equipment.

A single two metre aluminium lamella, made of the 6082 alloy, weighs just 11 kg in the basic version and 6.4 kg in the lighter version for the SA02 platform. The total weight of the lamellas required to mount a 25 x 25 m heliport for year-round operation of the Mi-26 class helicopter is 16.5 t, and the weight of the lightweight SA02 (21 x 21 m) for the Mi-8 class helicopter is only 8.4 t.

An important advantage of aluminium airfield tiles as compared to other materials is their ability to retain their optimum adhesive properties across large temperature variations (from -55 °C to +60 °C).

It is worth recalling that the widespread introduction of aluminium mobile coatings was preceded by their comprehensive testing at the Krasnoyarsk-Severny Airport for a year.

FOR REFERENCE
In Russia, aluminium cover sets have been developed to accommodate helicopters of different classes. For example, the basic cover set (SA01) is designed for helicopters with a maximum take-off weight of maximum 60 tonnes. The SA02 lightweight set is capable of accommodating a Mi-8 class helicopter with a maximum take-off weight of 20 tonnes.