NASA Helicopter Drop Test

[highonsnow]

There's an interesting piece on NASA's testing of a new deployable crash energy absorption system for Helicopters:

NASA - Chopper Drop Tests New Technology (http://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/features/helo-droptest.html)

[Ian Corrigible]

Interesting. A number of OEMs are pursuing airbag-based systems (Boeing exhibited a MD500 carcass with such a system at AHS last year), but the lightweight honeycomb shock absorber is a new approach.

I/C

[Trans Lift]

Pretty cool.

Highonsnow, maybe you can come back over to Florida to do the human tests!! Ha ha.:ok:

Hope you're well man!

[highonsnow]

Trans Lift, how's the form hai? I think I might have to get back over there for some crash testing alright!

With the way things are going over here soon there might just be more openings for Coastguard helicopters, seeing as Ireland is starting to disappear under torrents of water.. watch this space (might want to get some floats on that 300CBi) ;)

[alouette]

I wrote a term paper in college about crash testing some moons ago. It has been enligthening where they found the weak spots in the airframe after it gotten reinforced with an improved honey comb structure.:}

[Hughes500]

Interesting they choose an 500 as I have always been told they are one of the most crash survivable machines. Wonder what would have happened with a Robinson product ?

[heli-cal]

Wonder what would have happened with a Robinson product

The impact absorption medium would have survived, but as for the Robinson......

[highonsnow]

More on this subject:

NASA - Chopper Crash Test a Smash Hit (http://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/features/helodrop-mar2010.html)