DART Helicopter Services announced today that their affiliated partner, Apical Industries, a world class leader in emergency flotation and evacuation equipment, has received EASA approval for their Emergency Float and Emergency Float with Liferafts Systems for Agusta model A109E/S aircraft. FAA Certification was received in September 2005 (A109E) and October 2006 (A109S).

Both the Emergency Float and the Emergency Float with Liferafts Systems offer A109E/S operators increased safety for their crew, passengers and aircraft in the event of an emergency water landing. The 2 fwd and 2 aft cylindrical floats are inflated electrically when the float deployment switch is activated. The optional integrated 6-man Liferafts are deployed via separate electrical switches. Other design features include:

Efficient installation - installation assemblies are easily connected to OEM structural float and electrical provisions.

Patented integrated Liferaft system - conserves valuable cabin space and provides a significant safety benefit over cabin mounted options

Safer autorotation water landing- aft float is designed to reduce the chance of a tail rotor strike during autorotation water landing

Exchange program - available for floats, liferafts and reservoir valve assemblies, reduces aircraft out of service time.

Dart's CEO Jeff Shapiro commented, "We have worked closely with Agusta to develop and certify the only float/raft system certified for the increased gross weight A109E 'Power' and the recently introduced A109S 'Grand'."

Apical Industries is continuing to expand its product line of emergency float systems, with an engineering focus on reducing acquisition and maintenance costs, while providing the highest degree of reliability available in the industry today. Apical Industries' float and/or Liferaft systems are also available for

Agusta A119, AW139, and AB412

Bell 206, 210, 212, 412, and 427

Eurocopter AS332, AS350, AS355 BO105, EC120, EC130, EC135

MD 369, MD 500 MD 600, MD 900