FLIGHT TEST OF CH-53D

HELICOPTER WITH
IMPROVED ROTOR BLADES
AND GE-T64-416 ENGINES
Authors: Rick Funchion, Casey Gaines and Emanuel Perez

Presented by Captain Fred Neubert USMC and Emanuel Perez

 Background

 Engine Upgrade
 T64-413 engines power limited
 Operational demands in Afghanistan and Iraq
 Similar testing previously conducted on RH-53D (T64-415 engine)

 Improved Rotor Blade (IRB)

 Aluminum blade obsolescence
 Accelerated usage
 No longer in production
 IRB previously tested on CH-53D and MH-53J

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 Scope of Test
 T64-416 engine
 Engine Bay Temperatures
 Rigging (Alpha and SCL cables)
 Operating Characteristics (NR droop and Nf damping)
 Verification of torsional stability (torque oscillations)
 Validation of Performance Charts

 IRB Installation
 Optimal main rotor blade rigging
 Performance Characteristics
 Main rotor stationary scissors loads
 Handling Qualities
 Track & Balance software

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 T64-416 Engine
 Form fit replacement for T64-413
 Produces 4,380 shp at 14,280 rpm
 Improved Nf governor dampens short period
torque oscillations
 Increased T5 limit
 Higher fuel flow
 Installed on CH53E

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 Engine Testing
 A total of 25.8 flight test hours (previous testing reduced scope)

 Conducted control responses, power available testing, transient

droop and mission representative maneuvers

 Aircraft was maintained by a Marine detachment from HMH-463

during engine testing

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 Engine Torsional Stability

 Undamped engine torque oscillations have been

identified with T64-413/415 engines on RH53D

 Collective, cyclic, and pedal control responses were

conducted using pulse, step, and sinusoidal inputs to
identify any potential issues

 Control fixtures were used for repeatability

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 Engine Temperature Margin
 Increased T5 means higher engine
compartment temperatures

 Turbine case and engine mounts

instrumented with thermocouples
to verify no adverse affects from
higher T5

 An OGE hover at maximum power

was conducted to achieve the
highest possible engine bay
temperatures

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 Engine Power Available

 Each engine was brought to the maximum available

power from sea level all the way up to 10,000 ft pressure
altitude

 Data was corrected and used to create a model to

compare against the “min-spec” engine

 Temperature during testing was between 0ºC at sea

level and -20ºC at 10,000 ft pressure altitude

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 Engine Test Results

 Engine bay temperatures did not exceed component operating limits

 No adverse integration effects of installing the -416 engine on the

CH-53D

 NR droop and Nf damping characteristics

 Verification of torsional stability (torque oscillations)

 Performance Charts

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 Improved Rotor Blade (IRB)

 High twist composite Item Improved Rotor Blade Standard Rotor Blade

blade consisting of Rotor Radius (ft) 36.00 36.1125

fiberglass covering a Blade Chord (in.) 29.0 26.0

titanium spar and Nomex Twist -16.3 deg (nonlinear) -6.0 deg (linear)

honeycomb SC10XX to 55% R

Airfoil NACA 0011
SC1095SS to 100% R

 Incorporates aluminum Solidity 0.1282 0.1146

trim tabs Spar Titanium Tube Aluminum Extrusion

Tip Shape Trapezoidal from 95% R Square

 Currently used on H-53E Weight (lb) 371 351

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 IRB Testing
 A total of 54.9 flight test hours
 Baseline and IRB configurations

 Flight Control Rigging

 Climb & Autorotation Performance

 Performance
 Hover, Forward Flight

 Structures
 Stationary Scissor Loads
(oscillatory 6/rev response)

 Handling Qualities
 Critical Azimuth, Control
Response

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 IRB Control Rigging

 Originally rigged with aluminum

blade nominal length pitch
change links (PCRs)

 Autorotational capabilities
significantly degraded at this
rigging position

 An iterative process of
autorotations and maximum
power climbs yielded a new
nominal length PCR

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IRB Power Required

 Tethered & Free Hover

 40 ft AGL and 100 ft AGL
 NR varied from 91-105%

 Forward Flight Climbs

 3,000 – 10,000 ft DA
 GW 30,000 – 41,500 lbs
 40 – 120 KIAS

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 IRB Critical Azimuth
Comparison Evaluation
Baseline Aluminum vs IRB

HQRs and VARs

Flight Control Margins

Critical Azimuth Testing was

conducted with the IRB and
aluminum blades installed

Pace truck with GPS and a

calibrated 5th wheel was used
for accuracy
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 Structures

 Stationary scissor loads

evaluated throughout testing

 Oscillatory 6/rev response at

50% collective position

 Steep approach caution with

aluminum blades in
NATOPS

 Previous testing showed no

concern with IRB
 IRB Ground Compatibility

 Initial ground fit checks

determined the plug for the tip
cap lights is incompatible

 The bolts from the H-53E hub

were needed to install the IRB

 The APP exhaust would

damage the blade if the rotor
was positioned such that a
blade was directly over the
exhaust

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 IRB Test Results
 Main rotor blade pitch angles
optimized
 PCRs rigged to maintain NR within
current envelope (91 - 120% NR)

 Additional blade pitch

created ground taxi and
downwash concerns
 Ground taxi occurred by simply
releasing the brakes and aircraft was
difficult to stop

 Forward flight power

available limited by collective
travel

 USAF MH-53J compensated

for this by sacrificing
autorotation NR

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 IRB Test Results

 Tethered hover provided 1,200 lbs more thrust than predicted

 Stationary scissor vibratory loads 9% lower than aluminum blades

 HQRs and VARs qualitatively the same as with aluminum blades

 Further testing required

 Track & Balance
 Collective Limit

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 Conclusions
 Installation of the T64-416 engine provides valuable additional
power
 Increased power available & payload during high density altitude conditions
 T64-416 engine is a form fit replacement (no interface changes)
 Missions in Afghanistan that would have been impossible with the T64-413
engines
 Increased mission capability by 2,000 lbs during hot day conditions

 The IRB is an acceptable replacement for the current aluminum

blade
 Spares sufficient to last the projected life of the CH53D
 Potential to provide 1,200 lbs additional thrust during hover
 Decreased vibratory loads during all flight conditions

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 Lessons Learned

 Challenges of aging aircraft in the test environment

 Research of previous test efforts reduced scope

 Impact of weather

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Future Testing… ?

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Questions?

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