User:Helitech72/sandbox

= Heli-Tech SK1 = was founded in 2015, by the current owner and entrepreneur, Luca Patritti who had a strong propensity towards the world of aeronautics.

The Heli-Tech SK1 is a two-seat light helicopter produced by Heli-Tech, powered by a reciprocating engine. It was designed by Heli-Tech SK1  development team that led SK1 gathers the specialists of the aviation industry, engineering, materials, motor and design. Ten years of hard work, research, passion and dedication have enabled the development of SK1, helicopter stands for performance, light weight, power availability, reliability and security.

It had its origins in the 2014s and the first demonstrator flew in 2016.

Following the granting of regulatory approval, the HT-SK1 entered commercial service in 2018. In addition to its use within the general aviation sector and as a training rotorcraft, the HT-SK1 has also been used as the basis for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The aircraft features a single main rotor with a tail rotor, a two-seats-in side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, skid-type landing gear and a four-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke, 215 hp (175 kW) Italian MW Fly B22 AeroPower piston engine

The aircraft's 6.84 m (22.4 ft) diameter three-bladed Starflex rotor has a chord of 15 cm (5.9 in) and employs a unique torsion bar blade mounting that allows blade movement to produce pitch angle changes, flapping, as well as lead and lag. The main transmission consists of belt drives, with the tail rotor driven by a solid shaft.

Heli-Tech’s products use revolutionary technology, allowing them to reach ratios of power/weight which are unique in their use of highly.

Their use of the latest generation of composite materials and special steel alloys, guarantees safety and durability in even the harshest environments.

The Company has developed an internal research laboratory equipped with the latest computer technology and cutting edge tools, including test benches for engines, propellers and rotors. Aeronautical products are tested to the strictest Industry Standards.

Heli-Tech SK1: strength, power, safety and design come together, a new era takes shape.

The helicopter in carbon fibre:Heli-Tech SK1 introduces to the aeronautical world the concept of monobloc structure in carbon fibre, idea widely used in aerospace and Formula 1 fields.

The helicopter entirely of carbon fiber is designed as a single assembly that performs the structural functions, support, containment and aerodynamic so as to ensure a correct distribution of the loads, one vibration damping along the entire nacelle avoiding stress concentrations, break points and a significant reduction of total weights.

The possibilities offered by composite materials to handle robustness, elasticity and stiffness parties allowed a perfect sizing of the cockpit to ensure the safety levels required by industry regulations without sacrificing aerodynamic efficiency, the aggressiveand attractive design and the comfort for the crew.

The cabin provides plenty of space for the driver and passenger, a large trunk, several compartments and pockets. The comfort of the seat is accompanied by a high sound insulation.

Hybrid Assistant System (HAS):
imagine you are on board your aircraft, in the situation of suffering an engine failure, suddenly run out of fuel or have need for surplus power take-off or landing. The normal procedures for autorotation or glide allow high chance of safety for the crew, provided that we are in the hands of an experienced pilot and quickly find a suitable landing area. From today the outlook is revolutionizing thanks to solutions developed by "Heli-Tech Resarch Division"

The total revolution comes from the complete integration made ​​by the team of " Heli-Tech Resarch Division " between the electric motor and WM-Motor. The continued focus on research and development of the management structure led to build the first hybrid engine aircraft in the world.

The hybrid version called SK1-HY, integrates in the complex motor an electric motor that can deliver 50hp in case of need. A special electronic control and management coordinates the operation of the electric motor with the piston motor.The deep integration of HAS it possible to contain the increase in weight due to the electric motor and its accessories in less than 15kg. To achieve this objective, the used electric motor performs three functions: starter motor of the gas turbine, generator for charging the batteries and supply of energy to the auxiliary services of the airplane, engine support in case of need.

Only such a level of integration allows to apply the hybrid solution level aeronautical, otherwise excessively heavy and complex. The achieved saving weight by the use of the same engine, battery and electronics to fulfill the three functions of starter, generator, auxiliary power, is only possible at Heli-Tech, owner of the technology as well as the helicopter piston motor. The HAS, still in the final testing phase of flight in the flying laboratories of Heli-Tech, will soon be available as an option. It is guaranteed as of now the opportunity to those who were to buy the Heli-Tech without the option, to integrate it in a second time at their discretion.

THE ROTOR
The rotor head design used on the Heli-Tech SK1 is unusual and unique for such a light helicopter. The technical name is a “Laminated Blade Retention System” also sometimes called a laminated torsion bar system. This system is currently used on both the American Apache-Longbow and the Russian Black-Shark attack helicopters. It is also used on some Hughes helicopter models. The main rotor has three composite blades rotating clockwise, whilst the tail rotor has two composite blades. The main rotor blades operating speed range markings are 460 rpm = red range low rpm limit, 465 to 505 = lower cautionary range, 505 and 565 rpm = green band, 570 to 595 rpm = upper caution band and 600 rpm = red range high rpm limit.

The Laminated torsion bars (Lam-TB’s) are each made from a stack of sixteen Y-shaped steel plates. These lam-TB’s are very flexible up and down, twist easily and replace the more conventional, but bulky and heavy lead-lag, flapping and feathering hinges commonly used. The best comparison I can think of is a stack of engine feeler gauges that also bend and twist easily. The rotor blades are mounted with a slight rearward lag angle relative to the rotor mast center. The precise angle has been calculated to try to neutralise the effects of drag and centrifugal force, so that both arms of the “Y” remain under similar tension. For rotor blade pitch control, a composite torque-tube is placed over the Lam-TB’s, fixed to the steel blade grip on the blade side and has a central pivoting bearing on the rotor hub side to allow for blade feathering and flapping. On the outside section of the torque tube nearest the hub is a machined Duralumin “ear” that the pitch-links connect to. There are four large inspection holes at the front and back of each torque tube to allow easy inspection of the LamTB’s during pre-flights. The LamTB’ are non-serviceable items and replaced “on-condition”. The replacement of these torsion bars does not appear to be very difficult to perform. The major advantages are mechanical simplicity, massive weight savings, ease of inspection and no service maintenance. The tail rotor torsion bar is replaced at the helicopter’s design service life of 2000 hours.

Heli-Tech SK1 employs a side-by-side seating arrangement for a pilot and passenger, which is also ideal for training purposes, which is an intended role for the type.Dual flight controls are typically installed; these can be removed without the aid of tools as required.The passenger seat on the left can be removed if unnecessary or for greater storage space within the cabin. Various features for personal helicopter usage, such as an externally accessible 200-litre baggage compartment, power sockets within the main cabin, leather seating, and incidental under-seat storage, are also present. Available options include air conditioning, various avionics configurations, moving map display, Global Positioning System display, cargo hook, automatically deployed floatation gear, and several maintenance tooling packages.

The engine mounts also utilize vibration isolation techniques for increased crew comfort.The engine is positioned directly behind the cabin, making it easier to access for maintenance; while the engine exhaust is elevated above the tail boom in order to reduce noise and lower the risk of ground fires upon landing.

The maintenance costs of the SK1 are claimed to be "very low", in part due to only three components on the rotorcraft being time-limited, all others being condition-limited instead.The cost per overhaul of the SK1 is half of that of comparable rotorcraft such as the Robinson R22.

INSTRUMENTATION:
Heli-Tech SK1 has redundant digital instrumentation. Built on ultra high brightness using first choise data recording systems that guarantees visibility and clarity in all light conditions diffused or direct. The integration of digital displays flight information, engine and helicopter with captivating exhibition logic and clear, combined with a location on the bridge easily viewable by the driver guarantees clear and immediate information to the crew.The organization allows the choice of multi-screen display providing the correct information to the pilot. The board instrumentation is not limited to be a display on which you can see the various parameters, coordinates hundreds of information per second, deriving from the engine, by the instruments on board and from the helicopter, clearly highlights the pilot any alarms through visual messages, and voice alarm headphones. An additional function performed by digital instrumentation is the storage of protected memory of all flight data, engine and helicopter for over 2000 hours of flight. The equipment is easily configurable to read the information in the Anglo-Saxon or international system of measures, at the choise of the pilot.

High brightness and visibility, clear and accessible, security, data storage and design are the character of the digital instrumentation developed specifically for Heli-Tech SK1. At the core of the SK1 avionics is the Electronic Pilot Management (EPM) system, the digital instrumentation of the aircraft's glass cockpit. Intended to be intuitive, the EPM uses three monitors to display critical aircraft and engine information, such as current power settings, engine/rotor speed, fuel level, flight time, and sensor data. In the event of an EPM system failure, backup systems are present. Heli-Tech claims the SK1 to be "the only piston helicopter designed from scratch with the safety of its occupants as top priority." As such, numerous safety features are present upon the aircraft, including the design of the main rotor, a crash-worthy design, four-way trim system, energy-absorbent structure/seats, automatic carburetor ice-protection system, crash-resistant fuel tank, and exceptional autorotation capabilities.

During development, the safety, security, longevity aspects of the design were emphasized over the cost.