The Royal Air Force Chinook Mk 2 helicopter has, like the previous variant, the Chinook Mk 1, a limited capability to operate in snow and icing conditions. The current snow and icing conditions are based on experience gained in the early 1980's. An investigation into the current clearances indicated that the full capability of the aircraft in snow and icing conditions had not yet been explored. DERA (Defence Evaluation and Research Agency) Boscombe Down carried out an extensive trials programme during the winter of 1996/97 to gain data to expand the current flight envelopes for operating in snow and icing conditions. The primary aim of the trial was to improve the icing clearance to a temperature of -10 deg C and to relax the limitations for operation in snow. These clearances were to be investigated for higher aircraft all up mass and at an increased pressure altitude. A number of different engine intakes were tested and a snow/icing detection and measurement system was evaluated for possible incorporation into the aircraft to provide pilots with information on the severity of the conditions. This paper briefly summarises the previous snow and icing clearance work carried out in the early 1980's and covers, in more detail, the recent trial. A description of the trials aircraft, aircraft modifications tested and the instrumentation suite fitted are included. A resume of the problems associated with flying in snow and icing conditions is given. The flight test methods employed, reasons for choosing Halifax, Canada for the trial and the flight test data analysis system are also covered.
The Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter snow and icing flight envelope
Flugbereich des Royal-Air-Force-Hubschraubers Chinook unter Schnee- und Eisbedingungen
1997
20 Seiten, 16 Bilder, 2 Tabellen, 3 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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