Cargo hook (helicopter)

Because they are attached to the fuselage, or "skin," of the aircraft, belly hooks are regulated by the various worldwide aviation regulatory agencies.

For small to mid-size utility helicopters performing external load work, belly hooks are typically mounted to the fuselage using either a sling or a suspension configuration.

Because they are not attached directly to the airframe, they do not require aircraft-specific certification and can be used on a wide variety of helicopter models.

Key components of a cargo hook include the load beam, the keeper, and the attach point.

Rotorwash can also pose a hazard, causing difficulty to nearby personnel walking or standing, as well as blowing unsecured items around.

[13] 3 days of the US Army Air Assault course is dedicated to training and testing servicemembers on the inspection of sling loads and procedures for hook-up operations.

K-1200 K-MAX
A Eurocopter AS350 helicopter with a belly hook installed.
A Eurocopter AS350 helicopter with a belly hook installed. This configuration is called a swing or suspension system mount because the actual cargo hook drops down from inside a swing frame that is suspended from the fuselage by four cables.
An R44 lifting Christmas trees
A Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter using a remote hook to lift Christmas trees. The remote hook is suspended from the belly hook with a long line.
A soldier (foreground) uses a static discharge wand to make an aircraft safe to touch for the rest of the hook-up team to connect a cargo bag to a Royal Canadian Air Force CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Afghanistan. The helicopter crew chief can be seen in the floor hatch providing assistance.