Airbus Helicopters

Louis Delorme

Bernard Certain

Pierre Prud'Homme Lacroix

Francois-Xavier Filias

Didier Bertin

David Ayache

François-Xavier Filias

Nicolas Lamarche

Pierre PRUD'HOMME Lacrois

A buoyancy method for deploying a plurality of floats of a buoyancy system of an aircraft. The plurality of floats comprises a plurality of main floats and a plurality of secondary floats that are folded in flight. The method comprises a step of deploying the main floats in flight prior to ditching, and a step of deploying the secondary floats after ditching.

Aircraft provided with a buoyancy system, and a buoyancy method

The present invention relates to a control method for inflating at least one float of a buoyancy system. During a mode (MOD) of automatic inflation in flight, calculation means determine whether a predetermined ditching condition is true during a step (STP) of predicting a forthcoming impact. During a step (STP) of characterizing said impact, at least one predicted component of a ditching speed is determined. During an automatic inflation step (STP), each float is automatically inflated in flight when at least said ditching condition is true and when each determined predicted component is less than a corresponding speed threshold.

Control method for controlling a buoyancy system for an aircraft, a buoyancy system, and an aircraft

A buoyancy system () for an aircraft (), the buoyancy system () being provided with at least one inflatable float (). The buoyancy system () has at least one inflator () and at least one actuator () interposed between the inflator () and a float (), the actuator () having a cylinder () and a rod () partially received in the cylinder (). The rod () is secured to a piston () defining a first chamber () within the cylinder () and in fluid flow communication with the inflator (), and a second chamber () within the rod () and in fluid flow communication with the float (), and the piston () has a channel () to put the first chamber () into fluid flow communication with the second chamber (), the deployment device () having a shutter () for shutting the channel ().

Buoyancy system for an aircraft

A buoyancy system () includes at least one float (), a deployment assembly () having at least one deployment member () for deploying the float (), an engagement controller () which activates the deployment assembly (), and at least two immersion sensors () for issuing an order for automatic deployment of the float () to the deployment assembly (). The deployment assembly () is provided with a memory () containing a pre-established list of events. The deployment assembly () deploys each float () when a predetermined event occurs.

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Ensues la Redonne, France

Louis Delorme