Improved Propeller De-Icing Systems

The E2C and C-2A platforms play a pivotal role in ensuring operational effectiveness of the Naval Fleet. Their missions are varied, critical for success, and therefore flown with little regard to time of day or weather conditions. Consequently,situations where the propeller de-icing system is degraded must be immediately addressed. Then present approach requires extensive maintenance every 250 hours for brush and contact ring cleaning, in order to ensure system operation. Less frequent andreduced complexity maintenance is desired for the de-icing system.Noesis, Inc. has developed advanced metal fiber brush technology that offers the promise of significantly reducing extensive ¿_oO¿__ and ¿_oI¿__ level preventative maintenance while improving the performance and durability of the existing E-2C and C-2Apropeller de-icing system. Short of an expensive, total re-design, the E2C propeller de-icing system is based on 1960s carbon brushed technology with limited options for improvement. Elimination of the residual carbon brush dust through backfit of metalfiber brushes in the existing brush block housing would provide NAVAIR a near-term, modern technology solution to the de-icing system problem at an affordable cost. Additional benefits include reduced maintenance drudgery, and improved sailor quality oflife Reduced maintenance and improved operations of propeller de-icing systems on military and commercial aircraft.