FLUG REVUE Special: Helicopter trends 98

EFFICIENT STRUCTURES

Eurocopter's design goals include further savings in airframe manufacture. Preliminary basic and theoretical studies have already been accomplished in this field. This includes the improvement of existing design methods, along with concepts for "integrated structural parts". The materials are another focus of Eurocopter's search for rationalization: Today, among other materials, 17 different types of composite materials are used by the helicopter manufacturer in Donauwörth for the EC 135, NH90 and Tiger helicopters (prepregs with different hardening categories, hybrid texture, bi- and unidirectional textures etc.). However, the options are limited since thermoplastics or the RTM procedure are only feasible with high production rates which are not reached with helicopters.

The focus of the theoretical design work up until today were assembly group concepts concentrating on the cockpit and the central cabin. For example, tests with a mock-up revealed the potential to adapt the EC 135's forward fuselage to the BK 117 airframe (See EC Futura artists impression).

FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany

Last updated January 15, 1998