ASAP Parts Unlimited Blog

emergency floatation systems in helicopters

Emergency floatation systems (EFS) are designed to prevent a helicopter from sinking or capsizing after making a controlled ditching or water impact. Such accidents are rare, but an EFS can buy time for emergency rescue services to arrive and save the occupants.

The fitting of an EFS based on floats is well established, but the issue of instability on anything other than a calm surface of water has always been problematic. This is because helicopters have a high sense of gravity due to the location of the rotors, transmission, and engines at the top of the helicopter’s fuselage, which makes tipping over easy. The floats that provide EFS buoyancy are packed within spaces inside the airframe or fitted as externally mounted packs on the lower structure. Inflation is provided by gases stored in pressurized cylinders carried onboard. Helium is the primary gas used in these cylinders due to its ability to rapidly inflate the floats, but others are mixed in as well.

Helicopters with EFS must be certified that it functions properly, but there are still hazards. Emergency floatation systems can be damaged by the impact, and harsh sea conditions can also cause safety issues. Therefore, the UK Civil Aviation Authority recommended in 2014 that “in order to minimize the probability of post ditching capsize, operations should be prohibited when the sea conditions at the offshore location that the helicopter is operating to/from exceed its certified ditching performance.” Ways of improving the crashworthiness of float systems have also been considered, and it is considered by many that the EFS should be manually armed for all overwater arrivals and departures, and where practicable activated automatically in all water impacts when not armed. An Automatic Float Deployment System adds additional functionality to an EFS and was the subject of one of the twenty-seven safety recommendations made by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Another recommendation for increasing crashworthiness is installing additional floats to ensure that even if a helicopter does not remain upright, whether due to float damage during the crash or sea conditions, it will list to one side rather than completely capsize and sink. The European Safety Agency has investigated this option and found that adding EBS floats at the tops of the cabin walls made it possible to leave a helicopter listing on its side even in rough sea conditions.

importance of aircraft refueling

Aircraft refueling may be a common and routine procedure, but you cannot afford to be complacent or inattentive. When fueling, you must keep sparks from occurring, and mitigate the damage when they do.

The primary danger associated with fueling an aircraft is the possibility of a spark igniting fuel vapors and starting a fire. Precautions can help, but ultimately, vigilance and competence are what prevent this from happening.

Some rules should always be followed while fueling. First, never fuel indoors, such as a hangar. Instead, always fuel outdoors, but remember that this does not remove the danger of fuel vapor igniting. Contrary to popular expectations, fuel vapors do not dissipate in the outdoor air. Instead, they will settle and spread, keeping the ignition risk purely in the area of fueling. Of course, if any fuel spills, stop fueling immediately.

This is painstakingly obvious, but do not allow open flames near fueling operations! Don’t just avoid smoking yourself, keep an eye out for anyone else taking a cigarette break near the aircraft as well. Different operations will have different rules on the required distance but exercise good judgement if you feel someone is too close.

While fueling, keep an eye on the operation itself: make sure that all trucks are grounded properly, keep passengers out of the area, know the location of the nearest fire extinguisher, and end fueling immediately if there is a thunderstorm or severe weather event within 20 nautical miles.

Some operations permit ‘hot refueling,’ which is refueling while the engine is still running. Even if it is allowed, it is not something to be taken lightly. If you have even the slightest reason to doubt the safety of a hot refueling, shut off the engine and refuel normally. Remember that hot refueling should only be done with Jet A or Jet A-1 fuel. AvGas has a low flash point and is more likely to ignite under such an operation. Also, hot refueling should only be done on aircraft where the engine is located above the fuel system. If fuel spills onto a running engine, a fire is all but certain to occur.

Hot refueling is done for the sake of haste, it cannot be rushed. Passengers should be safely disembarked before starting, be sure to close all doors and windows near the fuel point, and do not allow passengers to enter or leave once fueling has begun. Remain at the controls, ready to react if something goes wrong.

the impossible machines: helicopters and how they work

While the idea of the helicopter has existed since 400 BC in China in children’s toys, the first true powered examples were developed in the 1900s throughout Europe. These early aircraft had trouble getting off the ground — literally. In fact, they could only make short tethered flights that lasted a few seconds, as they were unreliable and difficult to control. One issue lay with the main rotor, which, as it spun to generate lift caused the entire fuselage to spin with it.

In 1931, Igor Sikorsky devised a solution. A Russian-born aeronautical engineer working in the United States, Sikorsky’s design was revolutionary. It featured a single main rotor that would provide the primary lift and thrust, and a tail rotor that would spin in opposition of the rotating force generated by the main rotor, thus balancing the helicopter. Alternatives have been developed since then, as seen on the CH-47 Chinook, which has two main rotors that rotate in opposite directions. However, many helicopters still utilize the main rotor/tail rotor design to this day.

Like all self-propelled vehicles, a helicopter needs an engine. Modern examples use gas turbines similar to those found on commercial aircraft. However, all this power is useless without the transmission. Just like in an automobile, the transmission’s gearboxes (one for the main rotor and one for the tail) transmit power from the engine to the main and tail rotors through a complex system of gears. Finally, a stabilizer bar sits atop the main rotor blades, rotating along with the main rotor. The stabilizer’s weight and rotation dampen vibrations in the main rotor, which in turn keeps the helicopter stable and makes it easier to control.

A set of levers and pedals control the helicopter’s movement from within the cockpit. The cyclic-pitch lever, or “stick,” is mounted on the floor and situated between the pilot’s legs. This allows the pilot to tilt the aircraft forward and back and side to side by adjusting the pitch of individual rotor blades. Meanwhile, the collective-pitch lever handles up and down movement by adjusting all rotor blades in unison. The foot pedals control what direction the helicopter’s nose is pointed by adjusting the pitch of the tail rotor’s blades.

When a pilot adjusts the cyclic-pitch lever, the main rotor’s swash plate assembly responds. An upper swash plate is connected to the rotor shaft and spins in sync with the rotor. A lower plate is fixed in position and does not spin, with a set of ball bearings between them. The bearings let the upper plate spin, as the entire assembly tilts and shifts as the pilot adjusts the stick. Control rods run from the upper swash plate to the rotor blades overhead that transfer the pilot’s input, changing the angle of the blades, causing the helicopter to move in the pilot’s intended direction. All of these processes ensure the helicopter’s conflicting forces are balanced and at the pilot’s full control.

how to install a wind turbine

Before we get into the specifics on the process of wind turbine installation, let us get to know what a wind turbine is. A wind turbine is a mechanism that is capable of converting the kinetic energy produced by wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for specific tasks, or a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity. Wind turbines are constructed in varying heights, widths, and lengths according to the application they will be used for. Smaller turbines can be used in lower scale operations, such as powering a home, powering a traffic signal, or charging a battery. Larger turbines are used for industrial purposes, such as providing a source of renewable energy to support a power grid.

The blades of a wind turbine turn between 13 and 20 times per minute depending on their technology and the velocity of the wind. When wind crosses one of the blades, air pressure on the opposite side decreases. The air pressure differential across the two sides of the blade manifests both lift and drag. The force of the lift is inevitably stronger than the drag, which causes the rotor to spin. The rotor is connected to the generator where this translation of aerodynamic force and rotation creates electricity.

Modern wind turbines can be categorized into two different variations: horizontal-axis turbines and vertical-axis turbines. Horizontal-axis turbines are designed with three blades and are operable in “upwind” conditions. Vertical-axis turbines come in a wide array of designs and are omnidirectional— they don’t need to be adjusted to the wind to operate properly.

The complexity and length of the installation process for wind turbines depends on the size of the turbine itself. Heavy machinery or a heavy-lift helicopter may be required for larger turbines. When selecting an area for installation, it’s important to take several aspects into consideration: wind speed in that location, the proximity of nearby properties, nearby access roads, and connectability to a power grid. Proper placement of the turbine is crucial to its performance and longevity; it can extend the system’s lifespan while lowering the likelihood of future maintenance.

The turbine should be installed in an area with an average minimum wind speed of twelve miles per hour. It should also be at least twenty feet above any obstructions within a 250-foot radius. It is now time to lay the concrete foundation at the site of your choosing. Give it at least two weeks to allow the solid concrete base to properly dry. This allows time to dig trenches for the electrical cables to run from the turbine to the control unit and inverter.

This next step may require an electrical engineer or electrician. Connect the DC output to a control box followed by an inverter and attach an approved generation meter after installing the Ac to DC inverter. The AC output from the inverter should be connected to the property’s electrical power supply/grid. Don’t forget to install isolators for safety. Alert your local utility company of your newly installed wind turbine, perform the final electrical safety and performance checks, then enjoy your newly installed piece of technology.

important think when you purchasing aircraft parts

In the aviation aftermarket spares industry, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and part manufacturer approvals (PMAs) are in competition. Of course, there are maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) businesses and parts distributors, but when it comes to making the parts, competition is between the former two. Originally, OEMs had a monopoly on parts, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved manufacturing PMAs and drove high prices down through competition. Although the FAA has made it clear that PMAs are just as safe as OEM parts, some are still skeptical.

Anyone with a demand for aircraft parts has a few things in mind: is it cost effective, is it safe, and will it improve or maintain efficiency? In the past, the idea was that OEMs produce superior part because they originate with the OEM and are identical to the product being replaced. However, PMA parts are also identical to the original part and are of equal quality. Before the manufacturers can even begin making aftermarket parts, the part has already been tested and has to meet FAA standards for airworthiness. The manufacturer also has to make the part in accordance with FAA approved procedures. These parts go through a series of stringent flight tests even before they get approval to do the strict FAA-mandated flight test. They have to prove that the part is equal to or better than the original part before it is approved by the FAA.

It’s important to remember that just any part is not necessarily safe— the ones that are guaranteed to be safe are FAA approved parts, whether they are made by OEMs or through PMAs. To guarantee that you are getting the safest part available globally, the FAA has Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreements (BASAs) with several countries. The agreements mirror the FAAs certification and approval process in the United States and indicates that it is safe to buy parts from them.

fast-recovery super-junction mosfets

The metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect transistor (MOSFET) is a field-effect transistor which is often created by the controlled oxidation of silicon. A MOSFET is a semiconductor device which is most commonly used in power electronics. A semiconductor is composed of a material that doesn’t act as an insulator or a conductor and both of these properties can be controlled. A transistor is a bipolar device that is created by combining a positive and a negative material. It has three terminals: the collector, the emitter, and the base. MOSFETs are bipolar, but metal oxide insulators are added to enhance performance. The terminals in a MOSFET are called the source, the drain, and the gate. “Field effect” describes the method that is used to control the current flowing through the device. In a MOSFET, as the temperature increases, its ability to conduct current decreases. It creates a natural balance because if one device begins to create more current, it will heat up and cause the current to decrease and both devices will level out.

Gate drivers are provided between microcontroller output signals and the power transistors to prevent overheating. There are half-bridge, full-bridge, and three-phase drivers available. Body diodes may be used in configurations such as half-bridges. They can handle large currents, reduce part count, and device cost.

Fast-recovery super-junction MOSFETs are used in high-voltage switching converters because they offer more efficient switching at any given frequency. Gate capacities and die size are reduced, they can be driven with low-current gate drivers, and their output capacity offer lower stored energy and output losses. They are intended for equipment such as solar inverters telecom or data-center power converters and charging stations for electric vehicles.

tech trends for airlines and airports

Technology is on the rise everywhere, in every industry, enhancing every aspect of life. So, it might come to no surprise that huge technological advancements are expected to arrive at airports and airlines within the next year, aiming to make the entire flying process, from check-in and boarding to baggage claim and in-flight purchases easier and more convenient. Some of these advancements include biometrics, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, electronic baggage, translation applications, and augmented reality.

Biometrics in air transport has been in traction for quite some time. The technology could essentially change the process of air travel with a single fingerprint or face scan. With the advancement of this technology, an individual’s face could essentially become their passport, making travel significantly easier. Some airlines across the globe are already using this technology to quicken the boarding process. This type of technology could even simplify in-flight purchases, with a debit or credit card at the touch of your fingerprint (literally!).

Artificial intelligence is currently being used on some airline apps to answer questions customers may have about ticket prices, flight times, flight delays, and much more. Apps with integrated artificial intelligence can provide simple and straightforward answers to a set of various different questions. Robotics are also slowly making their way into the world of air travel. Airport robots are predicted to be able to do a number of tasks ranging from baggage transport to identifying security risks.

Augmented reality is a feature that many airports are looking into. Apps would allow for real-time, on-screen airport maps that will direct your every step to your inputted destination. Augmented reality is done through the camera of a smartphone or a tablet. As technology expands, there are many exciting things to look forward to.

the importance of rotables and consumables for aircraft

In aerospace and aviation safety, safety is the singular most important thing. In order to ensure safety as much as possible, every step of the aircraft’s life is strictly regulated. In order to do this, the aviation industry enforces traces.

Traceability is paramount when purchasing rotables and consumables for aircraft. Trace provides complete accountability from raw materials to end application. It improves manufacture quality and enables the ability to track down any mistakes and find out when and where it was made. Manufacturers, distributors, resellers, and end users can all be accounted for in trace. For example, 145 Trace simply means the rotable part was under ownership of a repair facility.

Rotable parts are components that can be removed, serviced, repaired, and overhauled throughout their lifespan. Rotable parts are also known as serialized components. The serialization of the part allows transparency for the part’s history, such as maintenance schedules and overhauls. Examples include parts such as avionics, pumps, and sensors. Consumables are typically parts that have a single use. Most bolts, screws, and rivets are recognized as consumables. Consumables maintain trace as well, through lot and batch numbers. Consumables must meet a fit, form, and function test, or be replaced if the part does not meet specifications. These parts usually have trace to the production lot for each package and/or set.

New technologies such as Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) allows for instantaneous access to a component’s history. Not only is RFID convenient, it also provides accuracy. The use of RFID eliminates the task of manually entering a serial number, this reducing the likelihood of any mistakes being made, or time wasted. RFID is primarily focused on rotable parts due to the maintenance requirements the part will require throughout the life of service.

cornell dubilier electronics unveils new film capacitors approved for fail-safe operation

Earlier in July, Cornell Dubilier Electronics released their newest film capacitors for uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), AC power supplies, and general AC filtering applications, the 951C Round Axial Leaded and the 935B Radial Leaded Box Metalized Polypropylene Film Capacitors. The 951C has a cylindrical body with axial 18 AWG tin plated wire leads, and the 953B has a rugged radial box form with four 16 AWG wire leads. Sizes for both vary depending on value. Both capacitors show strong performance in filtering in applications where high-ripple currents are encountered and benign end-of-life failure mode is crucial.

These new capacitors have fused, segmented metallization patterns that provide significant circuit protection. The metallization pattern is deposited onto a high-grade, low-loss polypropylene dielectric. Because the capacitors are segmented, with the help of built-in fuse-links, capacitance loss is limited to a small segment in the capacitor, as opposed to the larger areas of capacitance loss in non-segmented capacitors. They are also UL 810 approved, assuring fail-safe operation under fault conditions.

The 951C series comes in values ranging from 0.825 μF to 40 μF while the 953B series ranges 2.5 µF to 50 µF. Both series have voltage ratings of 160, 250, and 275 VAC, offer -40 to +85? performance, and meet UL 94V-0 requirements for flammability. At 10,000-hour service-life expectancies without derating, the 951C and 953B series capacitors will succeed in providing reliable filtering and smoothing for all demanding applications in UPS systems, AC power supplies, and more. According to Cornell Dubilier Electronics, other highlights for the 951C and 953B series capacitors are fuse protection, low dissipation factors, and self-healing. They can also handle constant exposure to high-amplitude power line noise and large voltage spikes.

use of solenoid control systems in electro-mechanical industry

Solenoid Control Systems is for endurance and cycling testing for electro-mechanical components to include Industrial motors, actuators, electromagnets, and relays. These tests are vital to the testing process to make sure components are working properly. The announcement of Optimal Engineering’s seven new Solenoid Control Modules aims to make Solenoid Modules to fit many different applications. Standard features of the modules are they are microcomputer focused, high output, and include a flyback diode in each unit. The ability to use these Solenoids in focused roles make for extreme value to the user.
These will provide exactly what you need are while using Optimal Engineering’s seven new solenoid products. Some of the usual applications are life cycling, endurance testing, and vibration and shock testing, and vibration cancellation. These applications are needed so that you know your equipment is running at 100%. Some of the features are that its compact, functions independently, its ready to go out of the box just install it in to where it needs to be, it utilizes controllers and drivers, can run multiple devices simultaneously, easy and timeless install, programming is easy, and it even has different modes during operation, host-controlled and stand alone, it does not need a computer or device to function. These extremely valuable applications and functions especially with the fact the Solenoids are completely independent and not reliant on each other so that you can save money not purchasing extra power sources.
With this new extraordinary announcement, make sure you come to APAP Parts Unlimited when you purchase your new solenoid control system from Optimal Engineering. ASAP is the leader in solenoid sales and with our website www.asappartsunlimited.com, it’s the easiest and most convenient way to purchase Solenoid controls and other products. The streamlined design of the website makes the process as easy as possible and our sales team will make sure to get you the best price you can get. Being the premier supplier of electronic and aviation parts, we are ready to help you with whatever you need to purchase, and our knowledgeable staff will be excited to help.