Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Frederick L Bourne

Mark P Eisenhauer

Timothy Fred Lauder

Erez Eller

Steven D Weiner

Joseph Lawrence Simonetti

Peter James Waltner

Mark Denton Bystry

Nicholas D Lappos

John H Judge

Robert J Andrejczyk

Matthew Fogarty

Nicholas D Kefalas

Simon J Gharibian

John Mihalakopoulos

Michael Patrick Wade

A rotary wing aircraft including a prime mover, a main rotor assembly having a first plurality of rotor blades operatively coupled to a main rotor shaft rotatable at a first speed ratio, a tail rotor assembly including a second plurality of rotor blades operatively coupled to a tail rotor shaft rotatable at a second speed ratio, and a variable ratio gearbox assembly mechanically connected to the tail rotor assembly. The variable ratio gearbox assembly operates to selectively vary the second speed ratio relative to the first speed ratio.

Variable ratio gearbox for a rotary wing aircraft tail rotor

A direct current (DC) deicing control system including a direct current (DC) power source, and a periodic deicing waveform generator electrically connected to the DC power source. The periodic deicing waveform generator outputs a switched DC voltage having a periodic electrical current waveform including periods of zero voltage and periods of non-zero voltage. The periods of zero voltage define arc extinguishing events reducing arc formation in the DC deicing control system.

Direct current (DC) deicing control system, a DC deicing system and an aircraft including a DC deicing system

A detachable power transfer device for a rotary-wing aircraft includes a docking station integrated into the rotary-wing aircraft. A power pod of the detachable power transfer device is constructed and arranged to detachably connect to the docking station for transferring power to the rotary-wing aircraft.

Detachable power transfer device for a rotary-wing aircraft

One aspect is an electrical augmentation system for a gas turbine engine. The electrical augmentation system includes an electric motor operably coupled to a shaft of the gas turbine engine, and an energy storage device operable to provide a temporary increased current source to the electric motor. The electrical augmentation system includes a control system having a torque demand anticipation circuit operable to determine an anticipated torque increase condition for the gas turbine engine. Based on the anticipated torque increase condition, the torque demand anticipation circuit commands a temporary torque increase by the electric motor using the energy storage device.

Electrical augmentation of a gas turbine engine

A method of operating an electrical system of an aircraft is provided. The method includes initiating a cross-start action for cross-starting a non-operative engine using a generator of an operative engine, entering a power limiting mode of a generator control unit (GCU) of the operative engine, remaining in the power limiting mode for a duration of the cross-start action and returning to the non-power limiting mode of the GCU of the operative engine upon completion of the cross-start action.

Power limiting generator control unit (GCU)

Embodiments are directed to an engine of an aircraft, a starter generator configured to receive power to cause the engine to start and to provide electrical power to at least one load, and a battery system comprising: a battery, and at least one of a controller and a regulator configured to limit an in-rush current to the battery following the starting of the engine.

Battery current regulation

A method of engine electrical load shed control includes receiving an accessory load indicator corresponding to an accessory load of an engine. A request for acceleration of the engine is detected. One or more electrical buses are depowered based on the accessory load indicator exceeding a shedding threshold and detection of the request for acceleration of the engine.

Engine electrical load shed control

A main rotor system of an aircraft is provided including a first rotor coupled to a transmission and configured to rotate about an axis in a first direction. A second rotor is similarly coupled to the transmission and is configured to rotate about the axis in a second direction. At least the first rotor includes an individual blade control system (IBCS) configured to adjust a pitch of each of a plurality of blade of the first rotor independently. A standpipe is fixedly attached to the aircraft. The standpipe is arranged such that the first rotor and the second rotor rotate relative to the standpipe. At least one slip ring is configured to transmit electrical power and/or a control signal to the at least one IBCS.

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Litchfield, CT, United States of America

Frederick L Bourne