YAH-63 Helicopter Crashworthiness Simulation and Analysis
Abstract
Under its ongoing crash research testing program, the Army conducted drop test T-41 using a YAH-63 prototype helicopter as a test article. The YAH-63 was residual hardware from the AAH competition of the mid 70's and incorporated many crashworthy features, including a high energy landing gear, crushable fuselage structure, stroking crew seats, high strength retention of large masses, and a crash-resistant fuel system. The test was conducted in July 1981 at the NASA Langley Impact Dynamics Research Facility. Many onboard experiments were also evaluated in the drop test with participation from NASA, the Navy, and the Army. The KRASH results were compared to test and showed generally good agreement for landing gear energy absorption, fuselage crushing, nose structure failure, and copilot/gunner seat stroking and bottoming. The acceleration levels in the fuselage agreed well in the mid fuselage impact, but predicted levels were lower than test levels in the forward fuselage, probably due to the hard armament structure on the test article not represented in the KRASH model. The comparison of results was greatly facilitated by the DATAMAP program that processed both the test and KRASH data and automated the plotting, overplotting, scaling, filtering, and integrating of the data.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA125642
Entities
People
- G. S. Perry
- J. D. Cronkhite
- T. J. Haas
- V. L. Berry
Organizations
- Bell Flight