Low-Drag Aircraft Slip-Resistant Surface Treatment

Horizontal external surfaces of the vertical take-off/landingaircraft V22 and other military aircraft are usually treated withnon-slip coatings to provide a safe pathway for maintenancepersonnel to walk on with tools and equipment during service andrepair. Current non-slip treatments are heavy and degrade theaerodynamic performance of the aircraft because of their highprofile. Therefore, they are used only sparsely. During thePhase I project TDA Research Inc. (TDA) successfully developed anew anti-slip composite coating with good dry and wet traction,but which is lightweight, has a low surface roughness, and doesnot alter the aerodynamics of the V22 under typical flightconditions. In Phase II TDA will optimize the formulation of thelow-profile non-skid topcoat developed in Phase I, will scale upits production, and pursue its commercialization.BENEFITS: TDA's material will have immediate application as a coating for the vertical takeoff/landing aircraft V22. Other military and commercial airlines could benefit from a lightweight, low profileanti-slip coating. Other applications may include non-skid Chemical Agent Resistant Coatings for military applications, and wear-resistance anti-slip coatings for flooring applications.