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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 0923.PDF
TECHNOLOGY ACTIVE DAMPING HAL'S Dhruv gets good vibrations Lord has completed diagnostic testing of the active vibration control (AVC) system for the Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) Dhruv advanced light helicopter. Cary, North Carolina-based Lord carried out a two-phase testing process of the active damping system. The first phase involved ground vibration response tests as well as mea surement of ground run-up and flight vibrations of the Dhruv air frame. Following a data review, Lord proposed three solutions for trial. The second phase involved flight demonstrations of the proposed prototype systems and Lord says early results indi cate vibration reduction. The AVC system installed on the Dhruv employs active Frahm dampers to monitor and reduce vibration in the fuselage gener ated by the main rotor and the rotor aerodynamics. The control systems use microphones or accelerometers to monitor vibra tion conditions, and employ actuators to cancel vibrations and speakers to cancel noise. Lord supplies the main and tailrotor elastomeric bearings and isolators for the helicopter's current pylon isolation system. Deliveries of Dhruvs to the Indian armed forces began early last year. RESEARCH MAX KINGSLEY-JONES / TOULOUSE Airbus's advanced wing enters validation phase First production applications could be realised within five years, possibly on A380 Airbus has begun the validation phase of its AWIATOR aerody namic technology demonstrator programme and hopes to realise production applications in the sec ond half of the decade. AWIATOR - aircraft wing with advanced technology operation - is one of several research and develop ment programmes that Airbus is undertaking which are partly funded by the European Com mission as part of the Fifth Framework programme for R&D. Focused on reducing aircraft wake, drag, noise and fuel consump tion, it brings together 23 European manufacturers, universities and research institutes, as well as Israel Aircraft Industries (Flight International, 9-15 July 2002). Airbus executive vice-president engineer ing Alain Garcia says that the manu facturer is providing around 64% of the R&D programme's total budget of €80 million ($87 million). Fifty per cent of Airbus's investment will be reimbursed by the EC. Garcia says that following input from divisions in France, Germany and the UK, the three-year valida tion process to examine integrative aspects of the proposed concepts is under way. "Tests will involve map ping aircraft performance at low and high speeds," he says, using Airbus's development A340-300 air craft. Garcia says that ideas include "large winglets; nose-mounted tur bulence sensors which are being looked at for the A380; wake vortex devices; mini trailing-edge devices to further improve the efficiency of the flaps; and sub-boundary layer vortex generators and optimised inner airbrakes to improve effi ciency without diluting the air flow to the horizontal stabiliser". The target is to reduce drag by 5-7% while cutting fuel consump tion by 2%. Garcia says that the A3 80 could be the first to benefit AWIATOR CONCEPTS from AWIATOR, as initial applica tions on the product line are expected within three to five years. Meanwhile, testing of Tango (technology application to the near term business goals and objectives) - another partly EC-funded pro gramme - is under way. The €85 million scheme, of which Airbus is providing €50 million, is studying composite and advanced material applications in the centre wing box and fuselage. The wing box test article was delivered to Airbus's test centre in April, where the manufac ture, drilling and bolting of very thick composite parts is being investigated. Large winglets Optimised inner airbrakes COMPOSITES EMMA KELLY / PERTH Quickstep promises 10 times faster component manufacturing Within 12 to 18 months, small Australian company Quickstep Technologies hopes to have certifi cation for what it believes is a revo lutionary composite component manufacturing technology. The Perth, Western Australia-based organisation is working with an unnamed group of global aero space companies to gain certifica tion for the process, which promises cheaper and faster com posites manufacture. The company hopes the Airbus A380 could be one of the first bene ficiaries of the process. The Quickstep process is a fast fabrica tion method for making high-qual ity composite products without an autoclave, using a fluid-filled, bal anced pressure, floating mould technique coupled with vibration. A lightweight, rigid mould is sus pended in water or oil, with the liq uid circulating in a low-pressure environment while a flexible mem brane maintains constant pressure and heat on the mould. The pres sure and heat compact the lami nate and cure the component while vibration forces out trapped air and gases. The process is 10 times faster than traditional auto clave composite manufacture, says Quickstep director Deryck Graham. In addition, it can produce large volumes, involves less capital equipment, tooling costs and labour, and provides increased manufacturing and structural design flexibility, he says. Following recent visits by US and European aerospace manufacturers to evaluate the process, Graham says Quickstep is now in discus sions with a group of aerospace and material manufacturers to cer tificate the process for aerospace use. The A380 is a target aircraft for the process, says Graham, adding that Quickstep is talking to a European company that wants to use the process to produce bonded aluminium panels for the ultra- large airliner. Quickstep, an unlisted company 20%-owned by Australia's Com monwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, needs to raise additional funding - around A$3 million ($1.8 million) - to enable it to commercialise and cer tificate the process, which is also of interest to the automotive industry. 24 29 APRIL - 5 MAY 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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