摘要: |
Report on effort to establish full-spectrum crashworthiness criteria for implementation starting in the initial stages of system design for a wide range of rotorcraft classes, types, configurations, and operating conditions that continues over the life cycle of the rotorcraft system. This criteria will identify the key components that contribute to a system's crashworthiness and will provided a quantitative measure of crash performance. This document is not yet complete, with many sections still in outline format or with notional descriptions of how the criteria or Crashworthiness Index will be used. When complete, this will be a standalone document that evaluates all aspects of crashworthiness and ascribes a Crashworthiness Index to a system. Over the years, there has been repeated discussion about the need to revise crashworthiness design criteria and crashworthiness qualification methodology. As the DoD moves forward with the development of future systems and upgrades of current fleet helicopters, questions have arisen regarding the adequacy of existing specifications and guidelines. Guidelines do not exist to ensure crashworthiness of new generation rotary wing aircraft with broad ranges of gross weights. Many questions exist regarding the right criteria to apply to very large future generation rotorcraft. This document addresses the evolution of crash survival design criteria, its influence on rotary wing aircraft crashworthiness, and evolving technological applications to current and new-generation DoD helicopters. Emphasis is given to the need for a total system approach in design for crashworthiness and the need to consider crashworthiness early in the design phase of a new aviation weapon systems development effort. |