Pratt-whitney Canada Corp

Richard Brian Wirth

Bruce Calvert

Robert Wigny

Robert Winchcomb

Danny Krause

Bruce Alan Calvert

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for propeller balancing of an aircraft comprising a propeller. Acceleration data is obtained from an acceleration sensor coupled to the aircraft. The acceleration data is filtered using a filter to obtain propeller-specific vibration data, the filter defining a range of acceptable frequencies associated with a frequency of rotation of the propeller. The propeller-specific vibration data is compared to trend data associated with the propeller. When the propeller-specific vibration data differs from the trend data beyond a predetermined threshold, an alert indicative of a balancing need for the propeller is issued.

Propeller balancing using inflight data

There is described herein a propeller balancing system and method that selects at least a portion of received propeller vibration data by comparing received aircraft data collected concurrently with the propeller vibration data with at least one customizable flight criterion, and identifying the portion of the vibration data acquired at a time when the aircraft data meets the at least one customizable flight criterion. The selected portion of the propeller vibration data is analyzed to assess a vibration level of the propeller and a balancing need is signaled when the vibration level reaches a threshold.

Devices and methods useful for balancing high-pressure spools of gas turbine engines are disclosed. An exemplary device may comprise: an input shaft configured to be coupled to an output of an accessory gear box driven by a high-pressure spool of a gas turbine engine; a first trigger rotatably coupled to the input shaft at a first speed ratio; and a sensor configured to detect the trigger at each revolution of the trigger. The first speed ratio may permit a rotational speed of the first trigger to be substantially the same as a rotational speed of the high-pressure spool. Upon detection of the trigger, the sensor may generate one or more signals representative of each associated revolution of the high-pressure spool of the gas turbine engine.

Devices and methods for balancing a high-pressure spool of a gas turbine engine

There is described herein a propeller balancing system and method that determines a stable cruise condition of an aircraft during flight, and considers vibration data for propeller balancing collected while the aircraft is in the stable cruise condition. Parameters used to determine stable cruise condition may be unique for each flight and/or aircraft, and balancing solutions may be determined based on these unique parameters.

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Stoney Creek, Canada

Richard Brian Wirth