Guide to Reference Materials for Development of Cost Estimating Relationships for Composite Airframes for Helicopters

This paper describes an on-going effort at AVSCOM to develop and maintain a comprehensive data base of reference materials on composite helicopter airframes, rotor blades, and power trains. The lack of a reliable data base has frequently inhibited government cost analysts in their efforts to develop cost estimating relationships for composite aircraft. The task has been further complicated by the rapidly evolving manufacturing methods used in the composites industry. Accordingly, beginning in 1981, AVSCOM began building this collection of reference materials. This paper describes this collection of materials, and shows how it has been integrated into a useful tool for cost analysts and industrial engineers.