LIEUT.-COMMANDER JOHN SPKOVLE, R.N., Commanding Officer of the Royal Naval Air Sea Rescue Unit at Ford, in Sussex, has designed a scoop for rescu- ing people from the sea by helicop- ter.

When not in use the net of the scoop is secured alongside the cockpit of the helicopter. It is lowered into the sea as the aircraft, at a speed of about five knots and a height of about twenty-five feet, approaches the person in the sea.

The helicopter is then navigated to bring the scoop net into line with the person to be rescued and is trawled through the water until the rescued person has been drawn into the net.

The net is then hoisted alongside the cabin of the helicopter.

The new device is being supplied to naval air stations at home and abroad and to aircraft carriers..