Patent ID: 8317127

Claim:
A method of installing a drip pan apparatus to a helicopter structure where the helicopter has a rotor transmission and a rotor transmission access opening, the drip pan apparatus comprises a frame having an inwardly-facing peripheral surface having a first frame corner defined by a first frame corner radius, a plurality of other corners each defined by a frame corner radius, and a slot formed therein; a drip pan having an outwardly-facing peripheral surface, the outwardly-facing peripheral surface having a first pan corner defined by a first pan corner radius and a plurality of other pan corners each defined by a pan corner radius that is larger than the first pan corner radius, the outwardly-facing peripheral surface having an outwardly-facing peripheral groove; a resilient member attached to the drip pan and adapted to cooperate with the slot; and a seal member disposed within the outwardly-facing peripheral groove, the method comprising: securing the frame to the rotor transmission access opening; inserting the drip pan into the frame such that the first pan corner aligns with the first frame corner and the seal member sealingly engages the inwardly-facing peripheral surface against fluid leakage therethrough; and engaging the slot with the resilient member to detachably secure the drip pan in sealing engagement with the frame.