Technical Paper
The Repair Design and Technology of Metal Rotor Blades for Mi Family Helicopter - The Approach with the Usage of Reverse Engineering
2017-09-19
2017-01-2155
Polish Armed Forces are currently operating hundred helicopters belonging to Mi family. Metal fuselage is usually resistant to the battle and the human factor. Unfortunately, metal rotor blades of Mi helicopters are sensitive to operating conditions. Single blade is made from monolithic aluminum spar and mutually separated trailing sections, which are bonded to the spar. The sections are constructed of metal sandwich panels. During aggressive military operating conditions blades sections are often damaged by debonding from the spar, fatigue cracks of section skin, dents and perforations as well as erosion. The manufacturer assumed that structurally damaged sections should be exchanged. Provided repair technologies are applied only to cosmetic damages. Unfortunately, there is a limit to number repairs which prevents replacement of two neighboring sections due to the high temperature of curing cycle during the section replacement.
