Checking up on AUK - the Nordic quality brand
By Rickard Gillberg on Jul 06, 2015
Something very captivating has been cooking in the deep Jämtlandic forests for a few years now, and it is about to break into the worldwide market very soon. Back in 2012 the experienced helicopter pilots Johan Baumann and Michael Elmeskog teamed up with top design consultants to develop better personal safety equipment for helicopter professionals.
Primarily focused in flight suits and helmets, Johan and Michael says that their aim is to bring top-quality materials, smart technology and user-centred design to a community whose everyday challenges pretty much have been ignored by suppliers. “Our goal is to bring the very best gear for air crews, created by air crews” says Johan Baumann.
The company will initially offer its G1 and G2 flight suits, a summer and a winter model. They are, by far, two very unique helicopter garments. Instead of the stiff and ill-fitting standard flight suits, AUK offer meticulously tailored suits that are made using high-performance fabrics like Cordura™ and Schoeller™. Every little twist and turn in the sleek and purposeful design has been thoroughly tested and evaluated throughout the three-year development process. The concept itself rests on a long series of studies of the movement patterns during flight control and maintenance. The flight suits have already endured extreme conditions together with test pilots and crews in Greenland, Norway and Sweden.
The difference between the G1 summer model and the G2 winter model is, off course, the padding, as well as a warm fleece collar, wrist adjustments, lycra cuffs and snow gaiters. The G1 and G2 both share their optimal fit, adaptable ventilation, first-class protection, and functionally designed pockets. All custom made for helicopter crews.
“It’s when you actually wear it that you notice the difference, especially in seated, flight control position” Johan says. “Small details like the inner wrist seams have been reversed so that nothing bothers your sense of control, and there are special stretch panels that aid the quick reaching or awkward leaning that we sometimes do on the job”.
Nordic Rotors just got our hands on a try-out version of the G1 summer suit, and the first impression can only be described by to words – premium quality. There is, as far as we can see, not a single detail that has been left to chance. Take for example the light kneepads that come handy when you are preparing a sling load or doing a pre-flight, the pre-bent elbow that makes the flight suit comfortable when seated at the controls, the webbing belt that can hold a Leatherman or a beeper or the customized pockets that feels perfectly intuitive when seated. You will actually feel the genuine class of the garment just by grabbing it, and once you put it on it looks really good too.
The garments will be suitable for a wide range of operations, stretching all the way from the EMS and parapublic branch to sling-load pilots and aerial work crews. According to Johan, the response from the local helicopter community has been overwhelming so far, and orders were coming in long before the first products were off the drawing board. Things are obviously revving up for the small Jämtland firm. “This is just the beginning, and we’re still keeping it pretty low key” Johan says. “We’re on a mission to set things right, and I personally believe that thoughtful development and close relationships with our customers will pay off in the end”.
One thing is for sure; the market will gain from a premium-quality personal safety equipment brand that makes everyday life easier for flight crews. This new standard could, from the look of it, potentially come from a small innovative company in the middle of Scandinavia. Nordic Rotors will most definitely follow the development of AUK Protection and the evolution of its innovative product line.
Want to find out more about AUK Protection? Visit www.aukprotection.com
Primarily focused in flight suits and helmets, Johan and Michael says that their aim is to bring top-quality materials, smart technology and user-centred design to a community whose everyday challenges pretty much have been ignored by suppliers. “Our goal is to bring the very best gear for air crews, created by air crews” says Johan Baumann.
The company will initially offer its G1 and G2 flight suits, a summer and a winter model. They are, by far, two very unique helicopter garments. Instead of the stiff and ill-fitting standard flight suits, AUK offer meticulously tailored suits that are made using high-performance fabrics like Cordura™ and Schoeller™. Every little twist and turn in the sleek and purposeful design has been thoroughly tested and evaluated throughout the three-year development process. The concept itself rests on a long series of studies of the movement patterns during flight control and maintenance. The flight suits have already endured extreme conditions together with test pilots and crews in Greenland, Norway and Sweden.
The difference between the G1 summer model and the G2 winter model is, off course, the padding, as well as a warm fleece collar, wrist adjustments, lycra cuffs and snow gaiters. The G1 and G2 both share their optimal fit, adaptable ventilation, first-class protection, and functionally designed pockets. All custom made for helicopter crews.
“It’s when you actually wear it that you notice the difference, especially in seated, flight control position” Johan says. “Small details like the inner wrist seams have been reversed so that nothing bothers your sense of control, and there are special stretch panels that aid the quick reaching or awkward leaning that we sometimes do on the job”.
Nordic Rotors just got our hands on a try-out version of the G1 summer suit, and the first impression can only be described by to words – premium quality. There is, as far as we can see, not a single detail that has been left to chance. Take for example the light kneepads that come handy when you are preparing a sling load or doing a pre-flight, the pre-bent elbow that makes the flight suit comfortable when seated at the controls, the webbing belt that can hold a Leatherman or a beeper or the customized pockets that feels perfectly intuitive when seated. You will actually feel the genuine class of the garment just by grabbing it, and once you put it on it looks really good too.
The garments will be suitable for a wide range of operations, stretching all the way from the EMS and parapublic branch to sling-load pilots and aerial work crews. According to Johan, the response from the local helicopter community has been overwhelming so far, and orders were coming in long before the first products were off the drawing board. Things are obviously revving up for the small Jämtland firm. “This is just the beginning, and we’re still keeping it pretty low key” Johan says. “We’re on a mission to set things right, and I personally believe that thoughtful development and close relationships with our customers will pay off in the end”.
One thing is for sure; the market will gain from a premium-quality personal safety equipment brand that makes everyday life easier for flight crews. This new standard could, from the look of it, potentially come from a small innovative company in the middle of Scandinavia. Nordic Rotors will most definitely follow the development of AUK Protection and the evolution of its innovative product line.
Want to find out more about AUK Protection? Visit www.aukprotection.com
Photos related to this article
Advertisement
