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05 AIRCRAFT DESIGN, TESTING AND PERFORMANCE
Systems (HUMS) and/or Integrated Mechanical Diagnostic (IMD)
systems will also be discussed.
Author
Systems Health Monitoring; Helicopters; Tolerances (Mechanics);
Rotor Aerodynamics; Failure Modes; Flight Tests; Aircraft Reliability
20000032872 Federal Aviation Administration, Los Angeles Aircraft
Certificaion Office, Lakewood, CA USA
STRATEGIES FOR ENSURING ROTORCRAFT STRUCTURAL
INTEGRITY
Eastin, Robert G., Federal Aviation Administration, USA; Application
of Damage Tolerance Principles for Improved Airworthiness of
Rotorcraft; February 2000, pp. 17 -1-17-6;InEnglish; See also
20000032859; Copyright Waived; Avail: CASI; A02, Hardcopy
Part 29.571 contains several strategies that, with certain qualification,
applicants are allowed to adopt to ensure adequate structural
integrity throughout the operational life of a rotorcraft. There has
been a continuing debate concerning the merits of the various
strategies. Much of the discussion has centered on the damage
tolerance versus the flaw tolerance philosophies and the pros and
cons of each. Additionally, the appropriate role of the traditional
safe-life philosophy has been debated at length. This paper begins
by considering what the objective of Part 29.571 is and then
examines each of the strategies and their strengths and weaknesses.
Following this a recommended strategy is proposed which is
believed to offer the most rational path at the present time to
achieving the stated objective.
Derived from text
Damage; Rotary Wing Aircraft; Structural Failure; Tolerances
(Mechanics); Structural Reliability; Aircraft Structures; Systems
Health Monitoring; Cracks
20000032874 Westland Helicopters Ltd., Yeovil, UK
APPLICATION OF DAMAGE TOLERANCE TO THE EH101 AIR-
FRAME
Matthew, David, Westland Helicopters Ltd., UK; Application of Damage
Tolerance Principles for Improved Airworthiness of Rotorcraft;
February 2000, pp. 9 - 1 -9-8;InEnglish; See also 20000032859;
Copyright Waived; Avail: CASI; A02, Hardcopy
This paper presents the work carried out by GKN Westland
Helicopters in the damage tolerance evaluation of the EH101
airframe. A comprehensive programme of crack growth testing and
analysis was undertaken and is described in this paper. A simplified
analysis method was developed and used to predict flaw growth in
the Main Load Path structure of the EH101. The analysis showed
that high frequency vibratory loads exceed the crack growth threshold
at relatively short crack lengths. This has been confirmed by a
full-scale airframe crack growth test in which a 4mm crack was
propagated under representative loading. These results have led to
the adoption of the ‘Flaw Tolerant (Enhanced) Safe Life’ approach for
fatigue critical components on the EH101 airframe.
Author
Damage; Tolerances (Mechanics); Cracks; Crack Propagation;
Eh-101 Helicopter; Fracturing
20000037805 Textron Bell Helicopter, H-1 Upgrade Program, Fort
Worth, TX USA
THE H-1 UPGRADE PROGRAM: AFFORDABLE WAR FIGHT-
ING CAPABILITY FOR THE US MARINES
Myers, Alan W., Textron Bell Helicopter, USA; Advances in Vehicle
Systems Concepts and Integration; April 2000, pp. A2-1 - A2-18; In
English; See also 20000037804; Copyright Waived; Avail: CASI;
A03, Hardcopy
In late 1996, Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. was awarded a
contract from the USA Marine Corps for the H-1 Upgrade Program.
The program award was preceded by studies of all aircraft and
approaches available to provide helicopter war fighting capability for
the Marine Air Ground Task Force through the first quarter of the 21st
century and beyond. Upgrades were defined for both the UH-1N
utility helicopter and the AH-1W attack helicopter to integrate the
following enhancements: Improved mission capability; Increased
performance and maneuverability; Additional survivability features;
Reduced pilot workload; Potential for growth; These enhancements
give the Marine Corps the equivalent of new, state-of-the-art, zerotime
aircraft, with 10,000-hour service lives. Total ownership cost
affordability was, of course, a major requirement. Commonality,
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improvements in reliability and maintainability, the use of COTS/NDI
equipment, and the reuse of existing equipment were encouraged to
enhance squadron operability and supportability and help reduce
recurring and O&S costs. Cost As An Independent Variable (CAIV)
studies were also required to continuously evaluate potential cost
reduction elements in trade against program and technical requirements.
Bell and NAVAIR formed Integrated Product Teams (IPT) with
representatives from all functional disciplines, to improve communication
and to ensure the configuration designs were not only
adequate technically but were also cost-effective to manufacture and
to operate and support in the fleet. This IPT process has been
instrumental in improving the contractor/customer approval process
during design reviews. This paper summarizes the H-1 Upgrade
Program. The Marine Corps modernization plan is described and the
role of the H-1 is defined. The resulting configurations are described,
as is the process of optimizing configuration details within program
constraints.
Author
Upgrading; Maneuverability; Warfare; Aircraft Survivability
20000037806 British Aerospace Public Ltd. Co., Military Aircraft
and Aerostructures, Preston, UK
THE TORNADO GR4 PROGRAMME: A NEW APPROACH
Watkins, T., British Aerospace Public Ltd. Co., UK; Advances in
Vehicle Systems Concepts and Integration; April 2000, pp. A4-1 -
A4-9; In English; See also 20000037804; Copyright Waived; Avail:
CASI; A02, Hardcopy
The growing costs of new weapon systems will encourage
potential customers to consider upgrading their existing fleets.
Today’s aircraft will therefore be expected to remain longer in service
and counter the threats of the future. Industry will need to adapt from
developing and manufacturing new weapon systems to finding ways
to improve the capability of an existing asset to maintain a deterrent
in a higher technological environment. According to the 1997 British
Aerospace Military Aircraft Value Plan ‘The upgrade and re-life of
existing aircraft is a valuable market opportunity - over the past five
years the upgrade of existing assets has accounted for 16 per cent
of the total value of combat orders world-wide’. The RAF’s IDS
(Interdictor Strike) Tornado aircraft are expected to have a service
life-span of up to 40 years and to ensure their combat effectiveness
are currently undergoing a Mid Life Update (MLU) - the largest of its
kind in Europe. The Mid Life Update programme returns 142 IDS
Tornado aircraft to industry and upgrades them to a new variant,
designated Tornado GR4/4A, which will become the new common
standard for the RAF IDS aircraft. This paper will provide an
introductory overview of the programme looking at the historical
backcloth, the three contract elements, and how we are tackling the
future requirements of our customer. Finally the paper considers why
an update for the Tornado was the right approach for the RAF in its
quest to maintain an effective capability to match the defence needs
of the UK in the early 21st century.
Author
Weapon Systems; Manufacturing; Upgrading; Mrca Aircraft
20000037807 Dassault Aviation, Direction Technique Systemes,
Saint-Cloud, France
MIRAGE 2000 COMBAT AIRCRAFT UPGRADE IN DASSAULT
AVIATION: SOLUTION FOR NWDS SYSTEM OPEN AND
AFFORDABLE
Picard, Alain, Dassault Aviation, France; Madon, Laurent, Dassault
Aviation, France; Advances in Vehicle Systems Concepts and
Integration; April 2000, pp. A5-1 - A5-4; In English; See also
20000037804; Copyright Waived; Avail: CASI; A01, Hardcopy
MIRAGE 2000 are in operational service within several Air
Forces since 1983. The outstanding structural sturdiness of the
Mirage allowing them to fly over 2015-2020, allow Dassault Aviation
to consider mid-life update. MIRAGE 2000 mid-life update shall
comply with the following criteria : Multirole aircraft, able to carry a
wide variety of Air to Air and Air to Surface missions, Affordable costs,
Replacement of current sensors (for example : RDM radar) by state
of the art modern sensors with up to date operational performances
(for example : multi shoot fire control), Replacement of the current
WNDS core system by an open system based on modular avionics
architecture allowing, in particular, to separate application software
and hardware, Replacement of the current cockpit lay out by a
modern glass cockpit taking benefit of the numerous advantages of
the Man - Machine - Interface fitted on the MIRAGE 2000-5,