PORTABLE SELF-POWERED HEATING TOOL

A PROTOTYPE, LIGHT WEIGHT, PORTABLE HEATING TOOL, WITH ITS OWN AIR AND POWER SOURCE IS PROPOSED, WHICH CAN DELIVER HEATED AIR TO CURE ADHESIVES AND SHRINK HEAT SHRINKABLE MATERIAL ON FUELED AIRCRAFT. THE PROPOSED TOOL WILL PROVIDE THE CAPABILITY, IN THE FUTURE BATTLEFIELD ENVIRONMENT, FOR THE MILITARY TO PERFORM BATTLE DAMAGE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE IN REMOTE AREAS WHERE FORCED AIR AND ELECTRIC POWER ARE NOT AVAILABLE. THE PHASE I EFFORT WILL BOTH EXAMINE THE CURRENT METHODOLOGIES FOR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF FUELED AIRCRAFT, UTILIZING HEAT-TO-SHRINK MATERIALS FROM THE AIRCRAFT COMBAT MAINTENANCE/BATTLE DAMAGE REPAIR (ACM/BDR) WIRING AND FLUID LINE REPAIR KITS, AND ALSO DEVELOP, BUILD AND TEST AN ENGINEERING PROTOTYPE HEATING TOOL TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROPOSED CONCEPT.