DATA SHEETS PRODUCT EXPLORER CONTACT Home Markets Products Company Resources Media Contact Us Newsletter Sign Up SUCCESS STORIES Erickson S-64 Air Crane full composite main rotor blades Erickson Inc. developed a more resilient, and cost-effective composite rotor blade for its S-64 Air Crane® helicopter with materials from Toray Advanced Composites. A six-blade heavy-lift helicopter certified in the 1960s, the S-64’s existing aluminum blades used expensive, antiquated WWII extrusion equipment that required time-intensive hand shaping and twisting in manufacture. Erickson partnered with Toray Advanced Composites to develop a cost-effective composite rotor blade with lower maintenance costs and higher performance than legacy blades. At the time, FAA-approved composite materials for blades and their processes continued to be cost prohibitive. Toray Advanced Composites helped Erickson identify and receive qualification for materials and processes to develop higher performance rotor blades with significantly reduced manufacture and maintenance costs. The Approval Process Partnering early in the process with Toray Advanced Composites saved Erickson time, resources, and money. Toray’s BT250E-6 resin system was identified as the ideal candidate for Erickson’s design. Toray provided both carbon and glass reinforced composite materials in uni-directional and woven reinforced formats of the resin system for comprehensive NIAR testing and qualification. Key to this approval was demonstrating out of autoclave (OOA) processability, considerably reducing cost, tooling, and manufacturing time. All materials were qualified as autoclave and OOA capable with a 126°C (260°F) cure. Design Development of the Composite Rotor Blade The blades were designed with multiple layers of composites, each layer applied in a specific pattern and orientation to maximize strength and match the mechanical properties of the aluminum design, including: Aluminum mass and inertial properties Primary load tensile strength and stiffness Stiffness critical for flexion and flutter Shear strength and stiffness at the blade root Each blade is cured OOA, consolidated with vacuum bag processing in an oven at Erickson’s composite manufacturing facility, built specifically to maintain control over composite blade production. The Results Toray Advanced Composites’ BT250E-6 resin system is the only OOA FAA-approved composite solution for rotor blades. A full design allowable database is now available for engineers to support future rotor blade design and manufacture. Erickson’s new composite blades deliver: Improved production cycle Reduced initial and lifecycle operating costs Fuel savings and performance gains Dramatic reduction in engine torque required when lifting objects out of the water Dramatic reduction in vibration, especially during transition from forward flight to hover, resulting in less wear and fatigue on the whole airframe Increased flight comfort, reducing pilot fatigue About Erickson Erickson is a leading global provider of aviation services specializing in manufacturing, Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO), defense and national security, and commercial aviation services. Erickson is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the S-64 Air Crane® helicopter and the type certificate holder for the Bell 214ST & B/B1 platforms. Founded in 1971, Erickson is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, USA, and maintains operations in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, and Australia. For more information, visit: ericksoninc.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter AEROSTRUCTURES · EVTOL / URBAN AIR MOBILITY · OUT OF AUTOCLAVE / VACUUM BAG · SUCCESS STORIES · THERMOSET PREPREG Related Success Stories ICON Credits Carbon Fiber Composites and Automotive Manufacturing Processes for Success Press Releases Toray to Showcase Advanced Carbon Fiber, Thermoplastic and Thermoset Composite Materials at CAMX 2021 in Dallas, Texas Press Releases Electroimpact, Toray, and Janicki Advance Processing Technologies for Rapid Manufacture of Large Thermoplastic Composite Parts Press Releases Toray Advanced Composites and Joby Aviation Finalize a Long-Term Supply Agreement Success Stories Structural Thermoset Prepregs for Kopter Group Back to overview Sign up for our Newsletter Subscribe Markets Aerospace Space Automotive Consumer Industrial Products Thermoplastic Thermoset Composite Tooling Adhesives and Core Parts and services Company About Us Working at Toray Company Docs and Policies Resources Data Sheets Calculators Selector Guides Processing Guides Articles and Tech Papers Webinars FAQs Media Newsroom Blog Success Stories Newsletter Sign Up Contact Us Contact Form Locations Events JOIN US ON TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND DISCLAIMER COOKIE POLICY PRIVACY POLICY Toray TCAC Holding B.V. - Chamber of Commerce: 66837413 - VAT nr. 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