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This paper describes an assessment of a novel flight instrument display in a UH-60 helicopter flight simulator. Sixteen male aviators flew a simulated instrument flight profile and recovered from unusual attitudes using the standard flight instruments and the novel display.

Unitech Composites, a Unitech Aerospace company in Hayden, Idaho, is providing its Lightweight Armament Support Structure (LASS) composite weapons pylons to maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) company Science and Engineering Services (SES) in Columbia, Md., for use on Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters the U.S. Army is supplying to the government of Afghanistan through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.

This paper summarizes the results of a 3 year research program to advance the state-of-the-art in helicopter free-wheel units (overrunning clutches) by permitting operation at 20,000 rpm. By designing the free-wheel unit to operate at engine input speed instead of at the speed of the 2nd reduction where it is usually located, the torque, and hence size and weight of the unit, will be reduced. High-speed designs, test results, and application of the designs to the UH-60A BLACK HAWK are presented for spring, sprag, and ramp roller types of overrunning clutches.

A new flight research vehicle, the Rotorcraft-Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory (RASCAL), is being developed by the U.S. Army and NASA at Ames Research Center. The requirements for this new facility stem from a perception of rotorcraft system technology requirements for the next decade together with operational experience with the Boeing Vertol CH-47B research helicopter that was operated as an in-flight simulator at Ames during the past 10 years. Accordingly, both the principal design features of the CH-47B variable-stability system and the flight-control and cockpit-display programs that were conducted using this aircraft at Ames are reviewed. Another U.S. Army helicopter, a Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk, has been selected as the baseline vehicle for the RASCAL. The research programs that influence the design of the RASCAL are summarized, and the resultant requirements for the RASCAL research system are described.

Modern rotorcraft must have the capability to operate in all-weather conditions. Sikorsky Aircraft has conducted icing research and ice protection system development for helicopters over the past 58 years and the pace of that work has accelerated during the past two decades. Sikorsky participated in several helicopter icing flight tests, conducted wind tunnel tests of scale models and full-scale components, tested simulated ice shapes, and developed analytical tools for use in the design, certification, and qualification for flight in icing conditions. Engine inlets, airspeed systems, main rotor droop stops, and windshields are generally protected by thermal anti-icing systems. When rotor ice protection is required, rotors are protected with electrothermal deice systems. The UH-60A BLACK HAWK electrothermal rotor ice protection system, developed in the late 1970s, has been installed in 2400 H-60 helicopters and it remains one of the most effective rotor ice protection systems.

A paradigm shift in offline programming of robots CAD-based offline programming has the potential to take into account design changes to a certain extent, avoiding time-consuming and thus expensive reprogramming after an engineering design change.

Standards take flight Commercial aerospace specifications continue to gain ground as aircraft get more electric. AeroTech: A 'community of practice' 'Something for everybody' is what this SAE conference, hosted by Northrop Grumman, offers aerospace industry engineers and executives. Making flight tests more productive Simulation, testing reduce the size and number of in-flight problems.

From concept in mind to product in hand Compatibility between tools for design and manufacturing engineers is improving, though it's still fraught with potential pitfalls. Cockpits on display Larger (and eventually bendable) flight displays use commercial technology for both new production and retrofit applications. Interior interests Makers of business aircraft take different approaches to designing interiors. Aerospace proves its metal Aluminum lithium, magnesium alloys, titanium metal matrix composites, and advanced coatings are all part of the future of flying.