Feasibility Study of a Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System (Hums)
Feasibility Study of a Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System (Hums)

Author: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2018-07-08

Total Pages: 56

ISBN-13: 9781722394240

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The objective was to evaluate the feasibility of a state-of-the-art health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) to provide monitoring of critical mechanical systems on the helicopter, including motors, drive train, engines, and life-limited components. The implementation of HUMS and cost integration with current maintenance procedures was assessed from the operator's viewpoint in order to achieve expected benefits from these systems, such as enhanced safety, reduced maintenance cost, and increased availability. An operational HUMS that was installed and operated under an independent flight trial program was used as a basis for this study. The HUMS equipment and software were commercially available. Based on the results of the feasibility study, the HUMS used in the flight trial program generally demonstrated a high level of reliability in monitoring the rotor system, engines, drive train, and life-limited components. The system acted as a sentinel to warn of impending failures. A worn tail rotor pitch bearing was detected by HUMS, which had the capability for self testing to diagnose system and sensor faults. Examples of potential payback to the operator with HUMS were identified, including reduced insurance cost through enhanced safety, lower operating costs derived from maintenance credits, increased aircraft availability, and improved operating efficiency. The interfacing of HUMS with current operational procedures was assessed to require only minimal revisions to the operator's maintenance manuals. Finally the success in realizing the potential benefits from HUMS technology was found to depend on the operator, helicopter manufacturer, regulator (FAA), and HUMS supplier working together. Romero, Raylund and Summers, Harold and Cronkhite, James Glenn Research Center...

Feasibility Study of a Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS): Usage and Structural Life Monitoring Evaluation. Phase 2
Feasibility Study of a Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS): Usage and Structural Life Monitoring Evaluation. Phase 2

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 68

ISBN-13:

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The objective of this study was to evaluate two techniques, Flight Condition Recognition (FCR) and Flight Load Synthesis (FLS), for usage monitoring and assess the potential benefits of extending the retirement intervals of life-limited components, thus reducing the operator's maintenance and replacement costs. Both techniques involve indirect determination of loads using measured flight parameters and subsequent fatigue analysis to calculate the life expended on the life-limited components. To assess the potential benefit of usage monitoring, the two usage techniques were compared to current methods of component retirement. In addition, comparisons were made with direct load measurements to assess the accuracy of the two techniques. The data that was used for the evaluation of the usage monitoring techniques was collected under an independent HUMS Flight trial program, using a commercially available HUMS and data recording system. The usage data collect from the HUMS trial aircraft was analyzed off-line using PC-based software that included the FCR and FLS techniques. In the future, if the technique prove feasible, usage monitoring would be incorporated into the onboard HUMS. The benefit of usage monitoring was identified under work accomplished during the first phase of this activity. The results from the operator's perspective is presented in the report NASA CR198446 (ARL-CR-289; DOT/FAA/AR-95/50). For the selected dynamic components analyzed, the results of the evaluation of the FCR and FLS techniques indicate a potential for extending retirement lives. This is due to the damage accumulation rate for the FCR and FLS techniques being slower ('slow clock') than the current method using actual flight hours as the basis for retirement times. Of course, the benefits of usage monitoring are dependent on how the aircraft is operated.

Feasibility Study of a Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System (Hums): Usage and Structural Life Monitoring Evaluation
Feasibility Study of a Rotorcraft Health and Usage Monitoring System (Hums): Usage and Structural Life Monitoring Evaluation

Author: National Aeronautics and Space Adm Nasa

Publisher: Independently Published

Published: 2018-11-03

Total Pages: 70

ISBN-13: 9781730767531

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The objective of this study was to evaluate two techniques, Flight Condition Recognition (FCR) and Flight Load Synthesis (FIS), for usage monitoring and assess the potential benefits of extending the retirement intervals of life-limited components, thus reducing the operator's maintenance and replacement costs. Both techniques involve indirect determination of loads using measured flight parameters and subsequent fatigue analysis to calculate the life expended on the life-limited components. To assess the potential benefit of usage monitoring, the two usage techniques were compared to current methods of component retirement. In addition, comparisons were made with direct load measurements to assess the accuracy of the two techniques. Dickson, B. and Cronkhite, J. and Bielefeld, S. and Killian, L. and Hayden, R. Glenn Research Center...

Operational Evaluation of a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS)
Operational Evaluation of a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS)

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 62

ISBN-13:

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This report describes the results of a research program to evaluate structural usage monitoring and damage tolerance methodology using data collected concurrently during a helicopter flight program. The helicopter (a Bell Model 412 equipped with a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) and data recorder) was operated by Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI) during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, under the FAA's Project HeliSTAR. The mission was referred to as the Atlanta Short Haul Mission (ASHM) and involved many short flights to provide pick up and delivery service at the Olympics. The usage data collected for the ASHM was used to perform fatigue life calculations and damage tolerance evaluations on selected rotor system components know as Principal Structural Elements (PSE's). The usage data from the ASHM were compared to certification data and to data from a previous study for a mission called the Gulf Coast Mission (GCM) which involved primarily long cruise flights. Although the usage was more severe for the ASHM than the CGM, the results of the comparison showed that usage monitoring would provide benefits in extending retirement times or inspection intervals, compared to certification, especially if high/low altitude effects were considered. In addition to usage monitoring evaluations, guidelines for HUMS certification are discussed along with potential economic benefits and simplified "mini-HUMS" approaches to provide low cost systems with high paybacks.