NANOCOMPOSITE SURFACE FOR VERY LOW WEAR ORTHOPEDICS

Not Available Aircraft loaders are conventionally powered by diesel internal combustion engines and utilize hydraulic systems to provide lift/tilt capabilities to the loader deck. Failures of the hydraulic systems are frequent, causing more than half of all loader failures. The state of the art electric power systems and motors and actuators has progressed to the point where a hybrid electric power system might prove to be a cost effective alternative to current unreliable aircraft loader power systems. In this hybrid system, a state of the art, low emissions, diesel generator would provide energy to an advanced high power lead acid or nickel metal hydride battery pack. The energy stored in this battery pack would then be used to either power the aircraft loader itself to where it is needed (using electric drive motors) or to power the lift/tilt loading system (using electric actuators) once it gets to where it must function as a loader. AeroVironment proposes to investigate the feasibility of developing a hybrid electric power system to provide propulsion power and supply lift/tilt power for aircraft loaders.