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Experimental investigations into parachute rescue systems

Miroslaw Rodzewicz (Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)
Dominik Glowacki (Institute of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)
Tomasz Szczepanik (Center of Transportation and Energy Conversion, Institute of Aviation, Warsaw, Poland)
Jaroslaw Hajduk (Air Force Institute of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 8 May 2018

146

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of investigations of parachute rescue systems (PRS) for light gyrocopters.

Design/methodology/approach

Although the investigations were conducted in both stages simultaneously, i.e. experimental mechanics approach and numerical simulations, the paper is focussed mainly on the experimental part of the work. To ensure the safety of experimental works (i.e. for both experimenters and bystanders), the authors applied unmanned, remotely controlled scale models of autogyro for the PRS testing in the air.

Findings

The critical problem for successful use of the PRS is that the rotation of the rotor blades must be stopped when the main parachute opens, otherwise the influence of the rotor on the improper opening process of the parachute may cause the whole PRS to become useless.

Research limitations/implications

The existing regulations for the use of unmanned aircraft impose the limitation upon the organisation of in-flight tests of PRS, i.e. the maximum take-off mass of the tested gyrocopter models is limited, and a full-scale test needs the approval of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Practical implications

The research contributes to increasing the safety level for gyrocopter users. The authors elaborated the original PRS, which currently is in the process of patenting.

Originality/value

Originality of the work consists of both an innovative PRS, which has never been tested before, and the results of experimental investigations, which cover both ground tests carried on static or moving stands and in-flight testing.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

All rights reserved. The ideas and technical information included in the paper are the property of the KOMPOL Co. WUT Consortium and are subject to author’s rights. The paper is subsidised from the project co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development as part of the Innotech Programme, In-Tech path. No of agreement: INNOTECH-K3/IN3/29/227736/NCBR/14. Actually the work of the author is in pending patent process (Barczak et al., 2016; Dacko et al., 2016a, 2016b).

Citation

Rodzewicz, M., Glowacki, D., Szczepanik, T. and Hajduk, J. (2018), "Experimental investigations into parachute rescue systems", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 90 No. 4, pp. 667-678. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-11-2016-0222

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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