Improving Actuator Reliability for the H-60 Blackhawk

Goodrich (Actuation Systems) is the supplier of the Electromechanical stabilator actuators to Sikorsky's H-60 Blackhawk helicopter. Goodrich has delivered 7000 of these actuators for use on Sikorky's "Hawk" family of helicopters. The actuators have more than 13 million flight hours of operation over the last 25 years. There has been interest to improve its reliability and provide the actuator with future performance growth capabilities. Goodrich has been working with Sikorsky and the U.S. Army in the design to improve the actuator's reliability and capabilities. In addition to enhancing the overall reliability of the actuator to a level of seven to one, the actuator will also be backward compatible with the legacy aircraft, and forward compatible with Fly-By-Wire (FBW) versions of the aircraft. Goodrich has been performing reliability trade studies over the past five years with the trade studies based on actual field data. The field data showed that the major cause for returns was due to the Permanent Magnet DC Brush motor and actuator contamination. The field data was a major consideration in the design of the Reliability Enhanced Stabilator Actuator (RESA).