The objective of this study was to evaluate two techniques, Flight Condition Recognition (FCR) and Flight Load Synthesis (FLS), for usage monitoring and assess the potential benefits of extending the retirement intervals of life-limited components, thus reducing the operator's maintenance and replacement costs. Both techniques involve indirect determination of loads using measured flight parameters and subsequent fatigue analysis to calculate the life expended on the life-limited components. To assess the potential benefit of usage monitoring, the two usage techniques were compared to current methods of component retirement. In addition, comparisons were made with direct load measurements to assess the accuracy of the two techniques. The data that was used for the evaluation of the usage monitoring techniques was collected under an independent HUMS Flight trial program, using a commercially available HUMS and data recording system. The usage data collect from the HUMS trial aircraft was analyzed off-line using PC-based software that included the FCR and FLS techniques. In the future, if the technique prove feasible, usage monitoring would be incorporated into the onboard HUMS.
Feasibility Study of a Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System ( HUMS): Usage and Structural Life Monitoring Evaluation
1996
73 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Industrial & Mechanical Engineering , Aircraft reliability , Component reliability , Fatigue (Materials) , Fatigue life , Feasibility analysis , Helicopter performance , Systems health monitoring , Aircraft maintenance , Applications programs (Computers) , Data acquisition , Data processing , Data recording , Engine monitoring instruments , Flight conditions , Helicopter propeller drive , In-flight monitoring , Operating costs , Prediction analysis techniques , Rotating shafts , Service life , Vibration effects