Patent ID: 7658595

Claim:
A helicopter blade pitch link assembly protective boot comprising: a flange configured for attachment to a helicopter upper control weather cover; an attachment section having an upper end and a lower end, the attachment section being configured to connect to the pitch link assembly; a flexible body coupled between the flange and the lower end of the attachment section, wherein the flexible body is configured to descend from the flange to a hinging inflection circle to form an outer conical section and rise from the inflection circle to the lower end of the attachment section to form an inner conical section; and a split joint extending from the flange, through the flexible body, and to the upper end of the attachment section, wherein the flange, attachment section, and flexible body are configured such that when installed, the upper end of the attachment section and the flange are positioned substantially within a plane that comprises a top surface of the upper control weather cover, and the lower end of the attachment section and the flexible body are positioned below the plane that comprises the top surface of the upper control weather cover.