Advanced Structures Concepts R&M/Cost Assessments

Under two contracts with the U.S. Army's Applied Technology Laboratory at Fort Eustis, Virginia, Sikorsky Aircraft investigated the R&M and lifecycle cost potential of advanced composite airframe structures for Army helicopters and developed concepts for repair of these structures in the Army field environment. Surveys were made of in-service experience with helicopter airframe structures. Reliability and maintainability factors in composite structures design were identified and defined. Laboratory testing was conducted to assess the damage tolerance and field repairability of several composites in both monolithic and sandwich form. A method was developed to assess and rank the R&M and lifecycle cost potential of advanced structures designs. Detailed R&M analyses were conducted for an advanced composite rear fuselage for the UH-60A BLACK HAWK helicopter. Modular design was shown to be a feasible and highly cost-effective approach to the repair of major structural damage.