Patent ID: 8493068

Claim:
An airborne geophysical electromagnetic (EM) survey tow assembly system for use with a fixed wing aircraft, comprising: a receiver coil assembly comprising a substantially rigid tubular receiver coil frame forming a central open area and a continuous internal passageway that extends around the central open area, and a receiver coil housed within the internal passageway; a winch system secured to the fixed wing aircraft, the winch system having a tow cable secured to the receiver coil assembly and being configured to extend the tow cable to suspend the receiver coil assembly from the fixed wing aircraft with the receiver coil in a nominally horizontal orientation during a survey and to retract the tow cable to draw the receiver coil assembly into a retracted position at the underside of the fixed wing aircraft during takeoff and landing; and a latch system mounted to an underside of the aircraft having releasable latch members to engage the receiver coil assembly when the receiver coil assembly is in the retracted position.