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In 1999 the report " Technical and economic aspects of the development and implementation of hardware-software means of the helicopter gearboxes' diagnostics systems" was made at the request of a Mi-8MTV' Operator in order to install additional means of control for upgrading reliability and flight safety while servicing oil rigs. The following issues were considered in that Report:

- Difference in approaches to ensuring reliability of Russian and western helicopters;
- Review of the most famous western and Russian systems of helicopters' diagnostics;
- Procedure and work's volume of foreign systems' installation on the Mi-8MTV and the expenses connected with the diagnostics system's installation on the helicopter.

On the basis of the Technical Report's conclusion, this Technical Proposal has been developed and presented for discussion.

1. General provisions

1.1. As additional hardware and software means for upgrading helicopter Mi-8MTV' flight safety and reliability , it's proposed to use some separate, tried and tested modules in two variants of the system (see picture 1 and 2):

- Balancing modules and in-track condition's check of rotors "Rotabs-1" or "Rotabs-3" by company "Vibrometer", Sweden, for variants 1 and 2 accordingly;
- Ground on-board system FDR SDK-8' module with the functions of assessing piloting proficiency and engines' diagnostics according to their operating parameters by company "Diagnostics", Russia (instead of on-board recorder units SARPP - 12) and a special program module for the engines condition' diagnostics according to the parameters recorded by installed aboard cockpit voice recorder BUR - 1-2ZH or FDR SDK-8, developed by the State Scientific Center (SSC) of Russian Federation (RF) Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM);
- Vibrometric and kinematometric module of the main gearbox, gearboxes and tail transmission bearing (support) developed by SSC RF CIAM in two variants. In the first variant (pct. 1) with Notebook, ACP(Analog to Digital Converter), kinematometer MDR-8,3 and a switch device. In the second one (pct.2) with MDR CKD (Gearboxes' Module Diagnostics and Control System & Helicopter Diagnostics) on the basis of an industrial computer with corresponding equipment. Both variants of the diagnostics' systems have been developed by SSC RF CIAM and include the "Endevko" equipment, USA.

1.2. Aboard every helicopter the following equipment is installed (for every module):

1.2.1. For system " Rotabs-1" or "Rotabs-3":

- Vibration pickups;
- Tachometer generators.

All above pickups and generators are installed only for a period of conducting balancing during maintenance schedule works.

1.2.2. For system FDR SDK-8:

- Block BPP of transforming the parameters;
- Block BP of registration;,
- Memory cassettes;
- A set of cables;

The equipment is installed for the whole operating period (instead of SAPRR-12).

1.2.3. With the installed aboard FDR BUR-1-2ZH or SDK-8, the information recorded on the cassette is transmitted to the station of ground information processing for the engines' condition diagnostics.

1.2.4. For vibrometric and kinematometric module of the main gearbox and gearboxes and the tail transmission bearing:

- Vibration pickups;
- Vibration amplifiers;
- Rotation angle' sensors (1024 impulses and 1 impulse for a rotation).

The equipment is installed for the whole operating period.

1.3. For information registration during maintenance schedule works the following portable equipment is used (one set for a group of helicopters):

1.3.1. For system Rotabs-1:

- Amplifire;
- Notebook (Notebook can be mutual for all systems);
- Special software by company 'Vibrometer".

1.3.2. For system Rotabs-3:

- MDR (Gearboxes' diagnostics module) SKD (Control System & Helicopter Diagnostics);
- Equipment for MDR SKD;
- Special software by company 'Vibrometer".

1.3.3. For FDR BUR-1-2ZH and system SDK - 8, the cassettes with the recorded flight information are portable.

1.3.4. For the vibrometric and kinematometric module of the main gearbox and gearboxes and the tail transmission bearing (support):

1.3.4.1. Variant I:

- Notebook;
- ACP (Analog to Digital Converter) by company L-Card, Russia;
- Kinematometer by CIAM, Russia ;
- Commutator;
- Special software SSC RF CIAM, Russia;

1.3.4.2. Variant II:

- MDR SKD;
- Equipment for MDR SKD;
- LCD monitor;
- Keyboard;
- Special software SSC RF CIAM.

1.4. For the ground information processing station for a group of helicopters the following equipment is used:

1.4.1. For all modules there's one mutual PC of Pentium type.

1.4.2. For FDR BUR-1-2-ZH and system SDK - 8 additionally:

- Devise for the information input;
- Service devises;
- Special software by company "Diagnostics", Russia.

1.5. MDR SKD (see pct.2) alongside with performing the vibrometric and kinematometric functions of can be used for collecting and preliminary information processing, obtained by system Rotabs-3 (at present the module is under modification and tests on the gearbox manufacturing plant's testing stands).

1.6. The installation and beginning of the diagnostics modules' operation can be independent and stage-by-stage.

1.7. Special software developed for each module, takes into account the design particulars of the given helicopter and is based on the statistics material of failures and defects' analysis obtained during the operation of a considerable Mi-8s' fleet of different modifications. In particular, the software of the gearboxes condition' vibration diagnostics of the ground information processing station takes account of the statistics material's volume regarding failures and defects of 125 main gearboxes.

1.8. Detailed technical and cost related characteristics of hardware-software means as well as their volume are given bellow.

2. Description of hardware-software means

2.1. Balancing system Rotabs-1 and Rotabs-3.

Rotabs-1 has been tested at GSRI CA (Sate Scientific Research Institute of Civil Aviation), the Moscow Helicopter Plant named after Mil and the Khazan Helicopter Plant. This system showed good operating results. It has got an advantage over similar systems because it doesn't require the application of optical sensors and balancing and in-track condition are conducted only on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the signals from the vibration pickups after a test flight.

As one can see on pictures 1 and 2 , the system consists of:

- Three blocks of multi-axis sensors;
- Amplifier;
- Notebook.

2.2. Ground on-board system SDK-8 and a module with the engine diagnostics' functions according to their operating parameters (with the replacement of on-board recorder unit SARPP-12).

The system consists of:

- Block for transforming the parameters (BPP) installed aboard;
- Block of recording (BP), memory cassettes (KP), a set of cables;
- Ground part of hardware - software means in one of two modifications: for BU 1-2ZH and SDK-8 (one set for some helicopters), consisting of:
- Data input device ;
- Processing, analyzing and documenting Block of on the PC basis;
- Service devices and operational documentation;
- Special software support module.

The system is widely used on helicopters Mi-8MTV and Mi-24 and can be installed at a client's request.

3. The vibrometric and kinematometric module of the main gearbox, gearboxes and the tail transmission' bearing support.

The module has the on-board part (1 set for a helicopter) which is the same for two variants consisting of:

- Sensors of 66259M6 - 10 type ("Izoton") by "Endevko", USA (5 sensors for the main gearbox, 3 sensors for the tail transmission bearing (support) , 1 sensor for the intermediate and tail gearbox))- total 10 items;
- Amplifiers 7600/5 (five-channel) by "Endevro", USA - 2 items;
- Precise high frequency sensors of the rotation angle (1024 impulses per 1 revolution and 1 impulse per 1 revolution) developed by SSC RF CIAM (4 sensors for the main gearbox, 1 sensor on the leading shaft of the intermediate gearbox, 1 sensor on the shaft of the tail rotor) - total 6 items.

The ground part includes the following:

1st variant of hardware-software means (pct.1 ):

- Notebook;
- ACP by company "L-Card", Russia for reading the information from the sensors and amplifiers - 1 item;
- Kinematometric module of MDR - 8,3 produced by SSC RF CIAM - 1unit;
- Ground information processing station on the basis of PS;
- Special software support by SSC RF CIAM.

The ground part includes the following:

2nd variant (pict.2):

- Gearboxes diagnostics' module (MDR SKD) on the micro processor system' (industrial computer) basis - 1 unit;
- Parts to the micro processor system (industrial computer) - 1 set;
- LSD monitor - 1 item;
- Ground information processing station on the basis of PS;
- Special software support developed by SSC RF CIAM.

The vibrometric and kinematometric system in its complex variant has no analogues and at present it is applied during the following works:

- The gearboxes' passportization in the process of check tests on the stands of the manufacturing plant.

The showed above arrangement of the autonomous modules Notebook and PC can be mutual for a group of helicopters.

Module MDR SKD has a wide variety of possibilities for monitoring the gearboxes' condition at all stages of its life cycle. It is ensured by its technical characteristics. (In particular a specialized input sub-module with preliminary and intermediate processing of fast and slow analogue processors, might have 32 analogue inputs at discretion frequency up to 500 kHz and it contains 32 independent 16 -bits ADC with the transformation time of 2 mk/sec) The main purpose of the module is to ensure the operation under the technical condition of the main gearbox, gearboxes and tail transmission bearing (support), that's why the module has got some excessive possibilities. For solving this task that is for enhancing the Mi-8MTV reliability, configuration of MDR SKD can be changed and added by hardware - software means of balancing module Rotabs-3.

The software of the ground information processing station can also be widened by the functions of the analysis' results processing regarding the availability of the wear particles in oil, conducted with the help of the Spektroskan system by "Tekhpribor", St Petersburg, Russia (pct.1 and 2).

All the corresponding equipment of the hardware-software means of foreign production included in the proposed diagnostics modules, have permits for the helicopter' on-board installation. These permits are issued by the state national authorized organizations.

At present all the corresponding equipment of the hardware-software means of Russian production are undergoing an approval procedure regarding their on-board installation.

The certification of the additional diagnostics means assessing condition and upgrading the Mi-8MTV' reliability will be conducted in accordance with the signed agreement on the installation of these devices in the process of check flights with the status of the operational tests of the installed equipment.

The tests' term and cost of the above equipment are given in the technical report "Technical and economic aspects of the development and implementation of hardware and software means of the helicopter gearboxes' diagnostics".

In order to finally determine the composition, cost and installation time of the additional diagnostics equipment taking into account the above, it's necessary to arrange a meeting with a customer.