Composite Helicopter Tail Booms

Two different design concepts for helicopter tail booms made from advanced composites are discussed. Cost, structural design and manufacturing factors are presented using the experiences gained from these two tail booms as examples. One tail boom was test flown after extensive static and dynamic testing to prove feasibility. Labor costs using the wet filament winding process plus 1980 material prices for graphite fiber and epoxy resin are presented as justification that production of composite tail booms is reasonable today.