Patent ID: 8240603
Filing Date: 2012-08-14
Classification: B32B,B64F,E01C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of preparing a site having an unimproved surface to support helicopter launch and landing operations, comprising: transporting a plurality of human-portable mats to a site having an unimproved surface, the unimproved surface formed substantially of particulate matter, each of the plurality of human-portable mats comprising a first wind permeable layer and a second wind permeable layer, each wind permeable layer being formed of a mesh material, the first wind permeable layer being held in a substantially fixed position on top of the second wind permeable layer without an intervening layer therebetween, the first wind permeable layer being attached to the second layer in a peripheral region of each of the plurality of human-portable mats; covering the unimproved surface of the site with the plurality of mats by laying the plurality of human-portable mats beside each other on the particulate matter; and securing adjoining human-portable mats of the plurality of human-portable mats to each other at edges of the plurality of human-portable mats to form a composite mat to support helicopter launch and landing operations, wherein the mats are effective in preventing a majority of the particulate matter under the mats from passing through the mats while allowing a portion of wind generated by a helicopter using the composite mat to pass through the mats to reduce a pressure differential that would occur between upper and lower surfaces of a non-permeable mat and thereby substantially avoid flapping of edges of the composite mat caused by the wind generated by the helicopter.