Helicopter safety system wins prize

When an Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the sea off Fiji in 2006, it sank like a stone, claiming the lives of its pilot and a special forces soldier.

Now the developer of a system designed to prevent such tragedies has won the 2014 Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) Eureka Prize.

Tim Lyons of West Australian firm One Atmosphere developed the Pegasus emergency helicopter buoyancy system which rapidly inflates, stopping a helicopter from sinking.

This is a bolt-on buoyancy system which inflates on impact with the sea. It's capable of quickly retrieving a 10-tonne helicopter from a depth of 10 metres and keeping it afloat for four hours.

Unlike other helicopter buoyancy systems it's lightweight and won't affect aircraft performance.

Assistant Defence Minister Stuart Robert said that with the navy's new landing ships, more helicopters will be operating at sea.

"A capability that enables a helicopter to stay afloat after ditching at sea, such as the Pegasus system, is vital for the survival of the crew and its utility will only grow in the future," he said in a statement.

Pegasus technology is now being further developed for installation across the army helicopter fleet.