Landing zone (aviation)

This article covers the landing zone for aircraft; for the landing site for parachuting see landing zone (parachuting) ; for components of hard disks, see landing zone (hard disk) .

United States Army soldiers secure a helicopter landing zone

Landing zone is an area on which aircraft a landing can perform.

The requirements for a landing zone depend on the approach speed , approach direction, landing weight and the size of the aircraft, a stable and level surface, freedom from obstacles and visibility. Landing zones differ from landing sites in the lack of compacted or paved (concreted or asphalted) surfaces, structural facilities ( hangar , tower ) and stationary supply facilities ( lighting , refueling system).

Marking of military landing zones

A green smoke grenade marks an LZ at Bagram Air Base , Afghanistan, 2012

The landing zone with the landing area is marked by the ground forces with colored smoke with a smoke grenade during the day . The incoming pilot reports the color of the aircraft to the control group in the landing zone via radio . Smoke with different colors or in red indicates that the landing zone has been detected by the enemy or is under fire. The pilot can then abort the landing approach . At night, the landing zone is marked with a strobe light , spotlights , sometimes with flashlights or glow sticks or Bengali lights . Green is always free for landing zone, red for landing zone blocked. A marker as a reference point helps the pilot to perceive depth in diffuse visibility conditions . Helicopter landing areas are marked with an H, T, or an upside-down Y on the ground.

Tactical landing zones

Tactical landing zones (TLZ) are landing zones that are used on a battlefield for dropping infantry and supplies and for rescuing the wounded ( MedEvac ). These are set up in an area that is less contested or easier to defend than the open battlefield. The soldiers and pilots deployed are specially trained for this type of air transport. After the soldiers have been dropped, they immediately secure the landing zone with a defensive ring. In addition, the landing zone is secured by a door runner and an accompanying attack helicopter .

requirements

The NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG 2999) lays down several requirements for landing zones. The surface in the middle of the landing area must be flat and strong enough to take the total weight of a fully loaded aircraft so that it can take off and land without sinking. According to the NATO definition, the following dimensions are to be assumed:

• 750 kg for reconnaissance helicopters
• 4,000 kg for light transport helicopters
• 10,000 kg for medium-weight transport helicopters

The entire landing area should, if possible, be cleared of loose material and piles of sand / dust, which can be thrown up by the downdraft from rotating main rotors and restrict the pilot's view and orientation through brownout . Flammable materials, liquids and vegetation should also be removed. The slope in the landing area should be even and not exceed a gradient of 7 ° (or 3 ° at night). Sandy and dusty surfaces should either be stabilized or covered to prevent brownout from sand and loose soil. Snow should be compacted or removed to prevent whiteout .

terminology

NATO defines a landing zone as “ a specified zone used for the landing of aircraft on land ” and abbreviates the term with LZ.

The term "landing zone" has homonymous meanings in military terminology for an area in which amphibious forces land on coasts and a landing site for parachuting .

In the armed forces of the United States , a “landing zone” describes an area within which one or more aircraft, in particular military helicopters , can touch down on their assigned “landing site”.

The armed forces of the Commonwealth differentiated between a "landing zone", the landing area (e.g. a valley), a "landing area" on which the landing is carried out (e.g. a field), and the "landing point" on which the aircraft touches down.

Vietnam War

Bell UH-1 D Huey take helicopter soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division during an operation 1966 in the Bong Son plain, Vietnam

During the Vietnam War , ground troops were dropped into landing zones by helicopter , as it was the fastest method for transporting infantry and supplies . Landing zones allowed troops to move closer to, or even beyond, the battle line . Most of the landing zones were only temporary and were established by clearing primary forests . Special Daisy Cutter type aerial bombs were used , which created a clearing through a strong blast wave .

Afghanistan

The armed forces of the Soviet Union (1979–1989) and the coalition forces (since 2001) make intensive use of air transport in landing zones, especially at high points , during the war in Afghanistan due to the rough terrain, the great distances, the inadequate transport infrastructure and the greater exposure of troop movements through land marches from which they can operate from top to bottom.

Web links

• LZ Requirements and Safety . In: AirLink . (English)

literature

• Dexter Filkins: The Eternal War: Inside Views from the "War on Terror" . Fischer S. Verlag GmbH, 2009, ISBN 978-3-10-028205-7 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} STANAG 3619: Helipad Marking - Helicopter Landing Zone. In: GlobalSecurity.org . July 10, 1980. Retrieved November 30, 2018 (American English).  
2. ^ NH90 practice for Afghanistan. In: Bundeswehr . December 3, 2013, accessed February 15, 2015 .  
3. ^ Volker Günter Schubert: Air rescue in combat. (No longer available online.) In: Aktuell - newspaper for the Bundeswehr . Archived from the original on February 15, 2015 ; accessed on February 15, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.   
4. ↑ Major-General A. Grønheim: Use of Helicopters in Land Operation - STANAG 2999 . NATO , Brussels 2000, p. 240 (American English, globalsecurity.org - ATP-49 (C) Volume 2, AC 225 (Panel X)).
5. ↑ Ryan Stark: Binding Material to Save Osprey Engines. In: military.com. February 4, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2018 (American English).  
6. ↑ Cihangir Akşit: NATO Glossary of Terms and Definitions. (PDF; 4.4 MB) APP-6. (No longer available online.) In: Allied Administrative Publication . NATO , April 29, 2014, formerly in the original ; accessed on February 17, 2015 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.    
7. ↑ Markus Nikel: Convincingly fast. (No longer available online.) In: Y - Das Magazin der Bundeswehr . May 21, 2013, archived from the original on February 15, 2015 ; accessed on February 15, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.