Helicopter Tail Rotor Blade from Composite Materials: An Experience

In this paper the design, fabrication and analysis of behavior by full-scale verification testing for the tail rotor blade of composite laminated materials for a heavy transport helicopter is given. The verification test program for the tail rotor blade encompassed static and dynamic testing. The static tests of the blade involved experimental evaluation of torsional and flexional blade stiffness and its elastic axis position. Dynamic tests involved testing of vibratory characteristics and testing of blade fatigue characteristic. In structural vibration tests natural frequency, vibration modes and damping ratio for the structure were measured. The fatigue analysis of the structure of blade root section was performed after fatigue test cycles for detection of laminate separation, tolerance and distortion of crossections of structure.