Sealing and Structural Enhancement System for the Rear Cargo Ramp of a C-130 Aircraft

At flight levels above the ceiling of 10,000 feet, during the operational phase of a sensor deployment system for a C-130 aircraft, it becomes necessary to seal the cargo hold to maintain pressure for the safety and comfort of the crew and operators. In order for the sensor deployment System to have full mission support capabilities for DoD reconnaissance needs, a system must be designed where-by the cargo area may be sealed once the system has been deployed. Currently, with the sensor pod in position, the ramp can be closed to within a few inches of the locked position. The door in this position, for stability during flight, must be locked and structurally supported to maintain the aircrafts design requirements. This presents the first of a series of issues that must be examined for the success of the final design.

To seal the remaining area, an expanding “bladder-seal” has been developed. This sealing device will ideally include a means of “holding” onto both the upper door and lower ramp of the aircraft simultaneously. The systems presented will create a significant advancement to the capabilities of the existing sensor deployment system for a C-130 aircraft and for the C-130 itself. This design will be completely capable of being used on any C-130 aircraft produced and will have the same universal mounting system as the current sensor deployment system.