Rear Fuselage Shield for Aircraft Tail Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft with composite fuselages face unprotected rear fuselage risks during tail impact tests, including potential contact with the runway, abrasion, and exposure to heat and flames from tail absorbers, which can lead to structural damage and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid laminar shield with a stainless steel outer sheet, carbon fiber inner sheet, and intermediate silicon sheet is installed behind the tail absorber, providing impact resistance, thermal insulation, and protection from abrasion and flames, while being lightweight and easy to assemble/disassemble without altering the aircraft's original structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a tail absorber is used to protect the fuselage during tail impact tests, then the main impact loads are absorbed and direct fuselage contact with ground is prevented, but the rear fuselage remains vulnerable to slight contact, abrasion, and thermal damage from sparks and flames
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is constructed using a composite structure with an outer steel sheet for impact resistance, an intermediate silicon layer for thermal insulation, and an inner composite sheet for structural integration. This multi-material composite approach provides comprehensive protection against impact, abrasion, and thermal damage while maintaining a relatively simple overall design.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield is divided into multiple discrete parts that are joined together and mounted on supports attached to the fuselage. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing, installation, and removal of the shield components, reducing the complexity of handling and assembly while maintaining effective coverage of the rear fuselage area.
2Strength
If a reinforced area with tail absorber is added to carbon fiber fuselage, then impact protection is improved, but the fuselage requires modification and additional weight
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is installed beforehand on the rear fuselage to provide protective coverage during tail impact tests. This pre-installed protective layer absorbs and distributes impact forces, preventing direct contact between the carbon fiber fuselage and the runway, thereby maintaining the lightweight advantage of carbon fiber while providing necessary impact resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield utilizes thin sheet structures with a steel outer layer and silicon intermediate layer that provide substantial protection against impact and thermal damage without adding significant weight. The thin-film approach allows effective protection while preserving the lightweight characteristics of the carbon fiber fuselage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the shield is installed during flight tests, then protection is provided without permanent modification, but installation and disassembly must be fast and simple
Solution Approach 1:
The shield is designed with dynamic installation and removal capabilities, allowing it to be quickly attached and detached from the fuselage using removable supports and joining mechanisms. This dynamic approach enables the shield to be installed during flight test campaigns and removed afterward without permanent modification to the aircraft, minimizing time loss while providing necessary protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield components are pre-assembled and prepared before installation on the aircraft. The supports and joining mechanisms are designed in advance to facilitate rapid attachment during the flight test setup phase, reducing the time required for installation and disassembly while ensuring proper positioning and secure mounting.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The shield effectively protects the rear fuselage from impacts, heat, and abrasion, maintaining structural integrity and safety during testing without affecting aerodynamics or increasing weight, and can be easily installed, operated, and removed without modifying the aircraft's original design.
Implementation Method 1
The structure of the rear fuselage of the aircraft is protected and isolated from the temperatures generated by friction, which may reach 600° C., by means of this shield.
Implementation Method 2
providing impact resistance, thermal insulation, and protection from abrasion and flames
Implementation Method 3
protection from abrasion and flames
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an aircraft with a protection shield for the rear composite material, fuselage 25) for conducting tail impact tests, in addition to a tail absorber, the shield (11) being formed by a plurality of pieces (21) joined to supports (23) fixed to the rear fuselage (25) behind the tail absorber (1), said pieces (21) having a laminar structure with an outer steel sheet (13), an inner composite sheet (17) and an intermediate high resistance silicon sheet (15).