Capewell Components - Military Life Support and Aerial Delivery Systems

Capewell have supplied the US military for over 120 years. The Capewell parachute release has been in use with US forces for over 60 years. In addition, the life support and aerospace division supply ripcords, cable assemblies and parachute hardware to forces around the world.

Their pilot canopy release is used on the F-16, F-22, B1, B2 and Joint Primary Aircraft Trainer System (JPATS). Capewell's safety division offers automatic descent control devices for use in emergency evacuations from aircraft with wide body configurations. The safety division also offers a wide range of manual descenders for military, industrial and rescue applications, including the special forces Military Compact Descender (MCD) and fast ropes.

Capewell Components Company is the world's premier life support and aerial delivery manufacturer. Their aerial delivery division manufactures aerial delivery platforms and containers, airdrop systems, military pallets and extraction and internal logistics transportation equipment.

Capewell also produces speciality items such as Container Delivery Systems (CDS), towplates, CDS Buffer Stop Assemblies (BSA), Center Vertical Restraint Systems (CVRS), the C-17 Dual Row Airdrop System (DRAS), platforms and outrigger assemblies, cargo parachute releases and Helicopter Under-Slung Lifting Equipment (HUSLE).

AFFORDABLE GUIDED AIRDROP SYSTEM (AGAS)

The affordable guided airdrop systems (AGAS) are a family of systems for payloads from 200lb to 10,000lb, providing high accuracy with low cost. The AGAS system offers greater safety, reliability and accuracy compared to high glide delivery. For safety, landing velocity is minimised reducing hazards to personnel and other cargo within the drop zone. The AGAS is also designed for accurate high-altitude release, avoiding portable missile and small arms threats to the drop aircraft.

The rugged design of the AGAS uses familiar components that are easily replaceable and require a minimal amount of training. Programming is equally user-friendly, using a commercial GPS-based flight computer and simple laptop mission-planning computer. A built-in-test (BIT) verifies the health of flight controls prior to drop. In the rare case of control system failure the AGAS ensures the payload is still recoverable by reverting to a ballistic parachute, landing the payload on or near the drop zone.

TYPE V AIRDROP PLATFORMS

The type V heavy-duty airdrop platform can be used for low velocity airdrops from any cargo aircraft equipped with the 463L-type dual rail cargo handling system as well as the low altitude parachute extraction system from the C-130 and C-17 aircraft. The type V's advantages include:

• Modular design and several platform lengths for maximum adaptability
• Exceptional strength and resistance to bending due to 6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminium in vertical web design with an interlocking joint between panels
• Capable of withstanding 500G vertical impact and single point extraction of 42,000lb (19,051kg) payloads
• Interfaces with either 88in (223.5cm) or 108in (274cm) wide cargo handling systems
• Roller pads interface with floor mounted roller conveyor providing additional strength and protecting the underside of the platform

AIRDROP TRAINING COURSES

Capewell offers a range of training courses in airdrop fabrication and delivery. These include:

• Basic airdrop load fabrication course
• Intermediate airdrop load fabrication course
• Parachute packing course
• Joint airdrop inspectors course
• C-130 aircrew training

AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL DESCENDERS

The Capewell range of descenders include manually operated, controlled descent devices for suspended work positioning or evacuations from elevated positions. The range includes the EVAC-PAC™, the Capewell Descender (formerly known as the Rope Rider™) and the Military Compact Descender (MCD), which is specifically designed for military applications.

Automatic emergency descent devices offer safe and rapid aircrew egress in the event of an on-ground emergency situation. They allow two-hand descent, using a centrifugal braking mechanism for descent at a safe rate. Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed have all licensed Capewell to produce these devices for their aircraft. Capewell is also the only company certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to re-certify these devices after performing a rebuild.

Capewell is an ISO 9001-2000 certified company