Makeev-Armanios

Sikorsky Aircraft and University of Texas (UT) at Arlington have partnered to develop durable composite materials for aircraft.

The project is supported by a $1.35m grant from the Army National Rotorcraft Technology Center.

It complements the Vertical Lift Consortium programme, Advanced Materials Technology, a joint project of UT Arlington, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, Sikorsky, and Penn State University.

The programme is headed by UT Arlington mechanical and aerospace engineering department professor Andrew Makeev.

Makeev said: "This effort epitomises our research mission to accelerate the implementation of composites through close collaboration with industry and government labs, a key to achieving cost-effective performance for the next-generation of aircraft."

"The benefits also will impact fixed-wing aircraft such as the Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, which has 50% composites and Airbus A350."

Based on inputs from the Advanced Materials Technology programme, Makeev will develop and evaluate polymeric composite aircraft material applications and configurations.

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The team will collaborate with material developers to create laminate reinforcement methods and bonding solutions, to improve efficiency of vertical lift aircraft.

UT Arlington mechanical and aerospace engineering department chair Erian Armanios said: "This project plays a key role in the implementation of composites in both commercial and military vertical lift aircraft.

"The benefits also will impact fixed-wing aircraft such as the Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, which has 50% composites and Airbus A350 with 53% composites."

As part of the project, consolidated methods for advanced material qualification will also be designed to help lower implementation costs associated with the new material systems.

Image: UT Arlington’s Andrew Makeev and Erian Armanios look over research results. Photo: courtesy of The University of Texas at Arlington.