Story ID: 434
LifePort Unveils Upgraded Patient Sled
By: Marisa Bojiuc
Caption: LifePort's new aluminum machined sled is lighter and more durable, and features a wider backrest.
Word Count: 172
LifePort (Booth N4315) is introducing a newly certified, machined sled for patient transfer this week at Heli-Expo 2018. The company, a division of Sikorsky, is also delivering cabin and cockpit floor armor for the Columbia Helicopters 234, the civil version of the Boeing CH-47 Chinook.

The machined sled offers improved features and durability. It has a wider backrest and is certified in the Leonardo AW139, Bell 212 and 412, Sikorsky S-76, and Airbus H130. Additional improved features include a 16-percent (nine-pound) weight reduction over the previous composite AeroSled and new machined-aluminum structure, which lowers maintenance costs and adds to durability.

The Columbia Helicopters 234 cockpit floor armor design initiative will help protect crewmembers operating in hazardous environments. Encapsulated with LifePort’s LifeGard protective coating, the armored panels feature enhanced durability to support cargo transport.

“Columbia Helicopters has an established business relationship with LifePort,” said Christopher Hankland, Columbia Helicopters' director of global supply chain. “As flight operations expand, we will continue to collaborate on additional systems for aircraft and spares.”