ROBERTSON TEAMS UP WITH STANDARDAERO
Developing a safe and economically viable CRFS for the AS350 was challenging, but still only half the equation. As with most things in civil aviation development, getting the product built is one thing; getting it certified by the FAA, EASA, and other global airworthiness authorities is another animal completely.
To bring the product to market, Robertson teamed up with StandardAero to navigate the complicated and lengthy process of obtaining an STC for the AS350 CRFT. “StandardAero had worked with Robertson on other projects and during the course of that experience, it sort of became a natural fit to work together on developing and certifying the complex CRFT STC for the AS350,” reflected Elvis Moniz, StandardAero VP of business development for Airframe and Avionics Solutions.
LEGACY SOLUTION OVERCOMES CHALLENGE
Robertson has the capability to perform virtually every type of test including drop tests, slosh tests, vibration tests, and even ballistic testing, since it has military tanks that can reseal themselves after being shot by a .50 caliber round. But there are differences for an FAA certification, including an additional parameter into the drop testing process.
It was challenging enough to develop a CRFT that could withstand the normal 50- foot drop test with tanks 80% full of water. But the AS350 had a cargo swing mounted underneath the helicopter that is commonly used for firefighting and sling load operations. So the new challenge was to drop an AS350 airframe with a cargo swing, without skids, at 80% full of water from 50 feet and prevent the cargo swing from penetrating the fuel tank, or prevent a rupture of any kind.
StandardAero and Robertson Fuel Systems met the challenge. In late 2017 they announced that they were the first to develop, test, and successfully certify their CRFT for virtually all models of the AS350 with a cargo swing to the standards of 27/29.952, including virtually all legacy aircraft.
“Including the cargo swing in the drop test was a good thing, as it caused us to develop a lot of robustness in the tank, which makes it safer in real-world environments where object penetration is more likely in a hard landing,” concluded Bill York, director of engineering for Robertson.
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