Rotor Torque

Rotor Brake Malfunction Determined as Cause of EH 101 Crash

It has been determined that the cause of the crash of a prototype EH 101, reported in the this column in June, was the uncommanded application of the rotor brake.

The intense heat generated caused the metal in the assembly to melt, which in turn burnt through the control rods. The rotor brake, which is specific to the Royal Navy and proposed Canadian versions of the aircraft, consists of multiple carbon fibre disks which are in light contact in flight as opposed to the more normal single disk and calliper in which the pads are held clear. This arrangement was found necessary to meet the Royal Navy specification of stopping the rotor from 80% RPM in 20 seconds.

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