Evaluation of Lightweight, Composite, Impact-Resistant Tail Rotor Drive Shafting for Helicopters

Abstract

Three contractors, Whittaker Corporation, Lockheed-California Company, and Fiber Science Incorporated, each designed and fabricated five samples of a lightweight, composite, impact-resistant tail rotor drive shaft. The shaft specimens were proof tested by the contractors, and ATL performed evaluation testing. Test results indicated that both sandwich-wall and wet- filament-wound drive shafts exceeded stated design requirements, and that production of high quality composite drive shafts is feasible. The majority of test failures occurred in shaft end fittings, indicative that additional research and development effort is needed in end fitting design.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA071034

Entities

People

  • Edward H. Dean

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Composite Materials
  • Construction
  • Dynamic Tests
  • Fabrication
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Laminates
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Testing
  • Mechanical Working
  • Resins
  • Shear Stresses
  • Stress Strain Relations
  • Stresses
  • Tensile Strength
  • Test And Evaluation

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Library and Information Science
  • Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Structures.