Integrated Hybrid Gear/Shaft Technology for Rotocraft Drive Systems

This proposal addresses a methodology for reducing weight in rotary wing aircraft by development of the technology to fabricate a composite hybrid transmission gear.  Development and demonstration of this technology provides an opportunity to significantly reduce the weight of vehicle propulsion systems which on military and commercial helicopters contribute significantly to the overall weight of the aircraft.  In some vehicles this contribution can be as high as 30% and projected to be even greater for the future vertical lift (FVL) due to a move to a more advanced variable speed transmission to support operational flexibility.  The development and demonstration of a composite hybrid gear with projected weight savings of over 20% provides an opportunity to realize weight savings not possible with current traditional metal technologies.  This proposed program takes advantage of innovative fabrication and joining technology for a high-performance thermoplastic fiber reinforced composite (IM7/PEEK) to achieve the program objectives.  The selected material and processes successfully demonstrated and vetted on various aerospace structures have been adapted in this proposal to construct a lightweight composite hybrid gear.