27/04/2006

Eurocopter'den Yeni Rotor Sistemi

Eurocopter, yeni geliştirdiği 5 palli rulmansız yeni rotor sistemini EC-145 helikopterinde test etti. Bu yeni rotor tasarımının 4 ton ağırlık sınıfındaki helikopterler için ideal olabileceği belirtiliyor.

Yeni rotor tasarımının aynı zamanda yakıt sarfiyatı ve gürültü seviyesini de önemli ölçüde düşürdüğünün altı çizilmiş.






Successful maiden flight of a bearingless Advanced Technology Rotor

Eurocopter has celebrated another milestone in the development of the rotor technology of the future at its Donauwörth plant. Following the first successful flight of a BK117 helicopter with an adaptive rotor system in September 2005, today saw the maiden flight of the newly developed 5-blade "Advanced Technology Rotor" fitted on an EC145 test helicopter. This rotor is designed to be ideally suited for 4-ton class helicopters.

The development of advanced technology rotor systems goes back a long way at Eurocopter. It began with the hingeless main rotor with composite blades, used by the BO105 and BK117 models, followed by the bearingless four-blade rotors used by the EC135, and now sees its latest development, the ATR 5-blade rotor.

Key characteristics of the new bearingless ATR is its extremely compact and light-weight rotor hub and its use of modular components. These design innovations result in improved flight characteristics and a more comfortable ride in comparison to the existing EC145 rotor, while also yielding cost and weight benefits.

Added comfort thanks to reduced vibration and improved flight characteristics

The design of the ATR as a 5-blade rotor results in reduced vibrations, which affect helicopter components and passengers alike. Due to the compact rotor hub the helicopter’s flight characteristics are also improved.

An additional benefit, in particular for the helicopter’s environmental compatibility, is the reduced fuel consumption and noise generated by the helicopter due to the increased range over which the rotor speed can be varied. On this topic, it is also worth mentioning that Eurocopter helicopters are amongst the quietest worldwide and are well below the international noise level thresholds.

Reduced costs during operation
The ART 5-blade rotor also sets a new benchmark from the point of view of reduced operating costs. The rotor’s modular design is especially beneficial in this respect. The divider between the blade root and the rotor blade permits quick folding of the rotor, adaptation of the blades for special uses and the realization of family concepts in manufacturing.

"The new advanced technology 5-blade rotor combines the most advanced rotor design in the world with an aerodynamic form aimed at achieving maximum performance with minimum noise" explains Dr. Marius Bebesel, Head of Eurocopter’s Vehicle Technology & Materials program.

The "Advanced Technology Rotor" was developed under the bearingless active rotor system (Lagerloses Aktives Rotorsystem, LARS) program, which is sponsored by the German Ministry of Economics and Technology.

source: Eurocopter