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Quasicrystalline (QC) coatings were evaluated as leading-edge protection materials for rotor craft blades. The QC coatings were deposited using high velocity oxy-fuel thermal spray and predominantly Al-based compositions. Ice adhesion, interfacial toughness with ice, wettability, topography, and durability were assessed. QC-coated sand-blasted carbon steel exhibited better performance in terms of low surface roughness (Sa ~ 0.2 μm), liquid repellency (water contact angles: θadv ~85°, θrec ~23°), and better substrate adhesion compared to stainless steel substrates. To enhance coating performance, QC-coated sand-blasted carbon steel was further exposed to grinding and polishing, followed by measuring surface roughness, wettability, and ice adhesion strength. This reduced the surface roughness of the QC coating by 75%, resulting in lower ice adhesion strengths similar to previously reported values (~400 kPa).

The Enhanced/Synthetic Vision System (E/SVS) is a Technology Demonstrator (TD) project supported by the Chief, Research and Development of the Canadian Department of National Defence. E/SVS displays an augmented visual scene to the pilot that includes three separate image sources: a synthetic computer - generated terrain image; an enhanced visual image from an electro-optical sensor (fused as an inset); and aircraft instrument symbology, all displayed to the pilot on a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD). The synthetic component of the system provides a 40 degree vertical by 80 degree horizontal image of terrain and local features. The enhanced component digitizes imagery from electro-optic sensors and fuses the sensor image as an inset (20 degrees by 25 degrees) within the synthetic image. Symbology can be overlaid in any location within the synthetic field-of-view and may be head, aircraft, target or terrain referenced.