Patent ID: 9085356
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: B64C

Abstract:
1. A method of minimizing the consequences of an off-specification emergency landing for the occupants of an aircraft having a rotary wing and a fuselage extending from a front end to a rear end along a longitudinal anteroposterior plane of symmetry in elevation between a first side and a second side of the aircraft, the rotary wing comprising at least one rotor driven in rotation by a main gearbox about an axis of rotation (AX), the rotor being provided with a plurality of blades, each blade being in an advancing position when on the first side relative to the longitudinal plane, moving from the rear end towards the front end, and each blade being in a retreating position when it is on the second side relative to the longitudinal plane, moving from the front end towards the rear end, the aircraft having a landing gear with at least one first contact means connected by a first fastener device to the fuselage and at least one second contact means connected by a second fastener device to the fuselage, the first contact means and the first fastener device being arranged on the first side, and the second contact means and the second fastener device being arranged on the second side, the method comprising: identifying first and second critical fastener elements for breakage during a running off-specification emergency landing taking place under conditions going beyond regulation emergency landing conditions, the first and second critical fastener elements being associated with the first and second fastener devices, respectively, the first and second critical fastener elements being spaced from the longitudinal plane of symmetry, wherein the first critical fastener element has a same corresponding location relative to the longitudinal plane of symmetry as the second critical fastener element; and dimensioning the first and second critical fastener elements differently so as to favor breakage of the first critical fastener element after the second critical fastener element so as to cause the fuselage to topple towards the second side during a running off-specification emergency landing; and providing the first and second critical fastener elements to the respective first and second fastener devices.