Finite Element Analysis and Experimental Verification of Flight Data Recorder Design for Rotary Wing Aircraft

In this study, a flight data recorder to be used on helicopters was designed, produced and tested to show compliance to international aviation standards. In design studies, dynamic, static and thermal analyses of flight data recorder were did in the Ansys Finite Element Program numerically. In the experimental study, the tests of performed analyses in computers were carried out in laboratory. In the dynamic test, an apparatus weighing 227 kg, with a steel pin on the lower surface, was dropped onto the memory module from a height of 3 m. Permanent deformation of the part surface was measured as 2.12mm in laboratory, similarly the same deformation was calculated as 1.99mm in computer analysis. In the compression test, the flight data recorder was compressed with a load that is 4500 kg by a hydrostatic press. In both numerical and experimental studies of compression test, the deformation of the flight data recorder is in elastic range of the material since there is no significant deformation in the flight data recorder. In the thermal conductivity test, 1100°C temperature applied to the upper wall of the flight data recorder for 1800sec. and thermal distribution of interior of the model was investigated. As a result of the numerically analysis and experimental study, it was observed that the card resist until 150°C temperature in the memory module was exposed to 90？C temperature. It was seen that, the results of mechanical and thermal tests which have been performed on designed Flight Data Recorder are compliant with international aviation standards