User:Born2flie/Wire Strike Protection System (helicopter)

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The Wire Strike Protection System (WSPS or cable cutter) is a passive safety device installed on helicopters to protect against accidents caused by collision with wires at low altitude. The system consists of Such wires are typically steel ropes or cables used for power lines, cable car lines and tower guy wires.

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Sollte der Pilot ein Stahlseil zu spät sehen und es zu einer gefährliche Begegnungen zwischen Hubschrauber und Drahtseil kommen, dann kann das WSPS leben retten. If the pilot a steel rope too late to see and dangerous encounters between a helicopter and wire rope, we can save the WSPS live.

Das WSPS besteht aus drei Teilen: einem scharfkantigen Schneidemesser unter und über der Hubschraubernase (lower wire cutter, upper wire cutter), die unter dem Rotor (auf dem Kabinendach) und unter der Zelle angebracht sind und einer Ablenkschiene zur Verstärkung und als Führungsschiene für den aufprallenden Dreht (windshield deflector). The WSPS consists of three parts: a sharp knife under and above the helicopter nose (lower wire cutter, upper wire cutter), which under the rotor (on the cabin roof) and under the appropriate cell and a Ablenkschiene to strengthen and as a guide rail for the bouncing Spins (windshield deflector). Diese Schiene ist vertikal auf die Mittelstrebe der Hubschraubernase montiert. This track is vertically on the Mittelstrebe the helicopter nose mounted. Sie leitet den Draht in das obere oder untere Drahtschneidemesser, das dann den aufprallenden Draht zerschneidet. She holds the wire in the upper or lower wire cutter knife, which then impacts the wire cut.

Bei manchen Systemen (z.B. OH-58 Hubschrauber) ist die Ablenkschiene an der Frontscheibe abrasiv gestaltet, so dass sich der Draht beim gleiten über die Ablenkschiene teilweise durchscheuert und so schon geschwächt wird, bevor er in das obere oder untere Schneidemesser gelangt. In some systems (such as OH-58 helicopter) is the Ablenkschiene on the windshield abrasive style, so that the wire while sliding on the Ablenkschiene partly durchscheuert and so already weakened before it in the upper or lower reaches knife.

Diese Sicherheitsausrüstung wird auch als Wire Strike Kit bezeichnet. These safety equipment is also called Wire Strike Kit. Sie ist für die meisten Hubschraubereinsätze nicht vom Hersteller oder Gesetzgeber vorgeschrieben, erhöht aber gerade für Hubschrauber mit Spezialaufgaben in niedrigen Flughöhen die Sicherheit. It is for most helicopter operations by the manufacturer or not legislators required, but increases just for helicopters with special tasks in the low-altitude flight safety. Das Problem ist, dass es sich um spezielle gehärtete Drahtschneidemesser handelt, die relativ teuer sind. The problem is that they are special hardened wire cutting knives, which are relatively expensive. Außerdem kann das Wire Strike Protection System nicht an allen Hubschraubertypen montiert werden. Also, the Wire Strike Protection System is not at all types of helicopters will be assembled.

In 70-80% der Unfälle durch Drahtseile, rutscht das Drahtseil auf die Oberseite des Hubschraubers, da der vorderste Punkt der Hubschraubernase meist relativ niedrig liegt. In 70-80% of the accidents involving wire ropes, slips the wire rope on the upper side of the helicopter as the front nose of the helicopter is usually relatively low. Dort reißt dann das Drahtseil der Rotor ab. They then tear the wire rope from the rotor. Mit dem WSPS überlebt der Pilot den Kontakt mit einem (einzigen) Draht mit 95% Wahrscheinlichkeit. With the WSPS survived the pilot contact with a (single) wire with 95% probability. Sollte er aber Kontakt mit 2, 3 oder 4 Draähten haben, dann sinkt sein Überlebenswahrscheinlichkeit auf 75%, 50% bzw. 25%. Should he but contact with 2, 3 or 4 Draähten, then drops his survival probability of 75%, 50% and 25%.

Unabhängig von der Ausrüstung der Hubschrauber mit WSPS werden Freileitungen in Autobahnnähe mit roten Bällen markiert (engl. wire marker ), um ihre Erkennbarkeit für Hubschrauberpiloten bei verminderter Sichtweite zu verbessern. Regardless of the equipment of the helicopter with WSPS are lines in Near Highway marked with red balls (wire marker) to their visibility for helicopter pilots with reduced visibility to improve. Besonders Rettungshubschrauber navigieren während ihrer Einsätze entlang der Autobahn, auf der sie dann auch landen müssen. Especially rescue helicopter navigate during their deployments along the highway, on which they will also have to land.

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WSPS System

On the front of most U.S. Army and many civil helicopters you may notice a knife like fixture on the top of the cockpit, and one on the bottom of the aircraft near the chin bubbles. These are not antennae for radios like most people believe. They are part of the Wire Strike Protection System (WSPS). The WSPS is made up of several components to protect the helicopter from high wire strikes. It was developed because of the increased risk of wire strikes while flying at NOE altitudes. If a helicopter hits a power line (Telephone line, electrical line, guy wire for a tower, or any other wire obstacle), the rotor system may become entangled with the wire, and catastrophic failure of the rotor system could lead to total destruction of the aircraft. The WSPS was developed to reduce the severity of a wire obstacle collision by diverting the wire into the cutter blade assemblies. The cutter blades affixed to the top and bottom of the frontal area of the aircraft will usually cut the wire and eliminate the hazard. On UH - 1 Huey helicopters, a set of bars will carry the wire over external parts of the windshield wipers. On OH-58 helicopters, the center section of the windshield has an abrasive cutting strip (Built into the windshield deflector) to score the wire and weaken it before it comes in contact with the WSPS cutters. The WSPS system protects 90% of the frontal area of the helicopter, and reduces the hazard from most wire strikes. With the WSPS, the pilot has a 95% chance of surviving a single wire strike. The odds of survival decrease as the number of wires increases. 2 wires will reduce the chances to 75%, 3 wires to 50%, and 4 wires to about 25%. Although the WSPS system is quite effective, care must still be used to avoid all wire obstacles. Apache, Cobra, and Blackhawk helicopters all have a smaller, less noticeable WSPS system on them. They can usually be seen just above the cockpit, and near landing gear struts. Chinooks do not have WSPS systems.

Source:http://www.helicopterpage.com/html/unique.html

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Responding to the need to reduce helicopter accident and fatality rates, Bristol developed the Wire Strike Protection System (WSPS®). The WSPS is designed to reduce the vulnerability of helicopters to the potentially devastating consequences of an in-flight encounter with horizontally strung wires and cables. The Bristol proprietary product is a low cost, lightweight, maintenance free, passive system that can be configured for most makes and models of helicopter, military and commercial.

Source:http://www.bristol.ca/Aerostructures.html

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The late 70s brought a significant transition to Bristol; namely, the emergence of proprietary products as a major component of the Company's business. The most notable of these were the CRV7 defence rockets, helicopter Wire Strike Protection System, and the Black Brant research rocket. These three products have grown to be extremely successful export products for Bristol to this day.

The Wire Strike Protection System is now available for most makes and models of helicopters, with OEMs now planning for its inclusion from the drawing board stages of new helicopters versus its original retrofit design.

Source:http://www.bristol.ca/History.html

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Wire Strike Protection Systems (WSPS®)

Magellan designs and manufactures the Wire Strike Protection System (WSPS®) for helicopters. The WSPS is the cutting edge in safety for both commercial and military helicopter operators - significantly reducing the risk of injury and aircraft damage caused by wire strikes.

Responding to the need to reduce helicopter accident and fatality rates, Magellan developed the Wire Strike Protection System (WSPS®). The WSPS is designed to reduce the vulnerability of helicopters to the potentially devastating consequences of an in-flight encounter with horizontally strung wires and cables. This proprietary product is a low cost, lightweight, maintenance free, passive system that can be configured for most makes and models of helicopter, military and commercial.

The WSPS consists of a series of strategically placed cutters and deflectors that are designed to guide wires over the fuselage and into high tensile steel cutting blades. A basic system is comprised of three components – an upper cutter, a lower cutter, and a windshield deflector. Larger or more complex aircraft may require additional cutters and deflectors.

Using a proprietary computer program in conjunction with finite element modeling, each helicopter airframe is analyzed in order to identify the structural reinforcement required to withstand the projected cutter and deflector loads. This unique science, combined with leading edge precision manufacturing, has resulted in a high quality, optimally designed product.

Source:http://www.magellanaerospace.com/_bin/products/wsp.cfm