Grover E. Bell Award

Accepting the award on behalf of the Team were Dr. Hao Kang, Andrew Kreschock and Elias Rigas of the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), and Dr. Hyeonsoo Yeo and Tom Maier of AvMC.

Using a mix of custom-designed and commercial-off-the-shelf equipment, an international team developed and flew a Bell 429 demonstrator, providing valuable data on the practical use of hybrid-electric technology.

Over the past two years, the JMR Test Team completed powered wind tunnel testing of a one-fifth scale SB>1 Defiant in the National Full-scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) wind tunnel, Propulsion System Test Bed (PSTB) endurance testing of key SB>1 drivetrain components, and flight testing of the Defiant aircraft. The data collected provide a comprehensive database for the SB>1 aircraft that has been instrumental in informing the US Army’s decisions for Future Vertical Lift (FVL).

At the time of award nomination in February, the V-280 had over 90 hours of flight and more than 195 rotor-turn hours. Additional flight testing milestones included forward flight at 280 kt (518 km/h) true airspeed, in-flight transitions between cruise mode and vertical takeoff and landing, 50° banked turns at 200 kt (370 km/h) indicated airspeed, 4,500 ft/min (23 m/s) rate of climb, sustained flight at 11,500 ft altitude (3,500 m), single flight ferry flight of over 370 miles (600 km), and demonstrated low- and high-speed agility. The award was accepted by Dan Bailey from the US Army Aviation Development Directorate; and Helmuth Koetzer, Jason Owens, Kaylen Short, Brad Roberts and Paul Wilson from Bell.

The resulting multi-disciplinary optimized rotor was flight tested on the Bluecopter demonstrator and achieved well-balanced improvements simultaneously in all of these categories. Particularly remarkable was the unprecedented low external noise signature. The GRC rotor design does not require any vibration isolation, thus reducing complexity, weight and cost, while providing excellent comfort and considerably higher speed and payload.

The First Flight demonstrated the viability of designing, tooling, manufacturing, assembling and testing through Sikorsky's collaborative "one team" approach.

The team consisted U.S.Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD); Aviation & Missile Research, Development & Engineering Center (AMRDEC); Northstar Aerospace; Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman Longbow Limited; Elbit Systems and The Boeing Company.

Team leaders included Thomas Norman, NASA Ames Research Center, and Patrick Shinoda, US Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate.

The UH60M Upgrade Flight Control Team is comprised of the U.S. Army’s Utility Helicopter Program Office, AMRDEC / Aeroflightdynamics Directorate, NASA Ames Research Center, and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.

The MCAP II Team is comprised of U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) members and industry teammates from The Boeing Company and EFW, Inc.

The members of the Unmanned Little Bird Team including Boeing Advanced Unmanned Systems and L-3 CommWest.

Award was accepted by Richard L. Bennet (left), Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., and Mark Nixon representing NASA and US Army.

Rotorcraft Pilot's Associate Team comprised of the U.S.Army, Boeing Mesa, Lockheed Martin Federal Systems, Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories, Applied Systems Intelligence and Honeywell. Dean Borgman, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Col.Waldo Carmona, U.S.Army, Lt.Col. George Dimitrov, U.S.Army, Lisa Harrison, U.S.Army, Lee Daniel, The Boeing Co., Rich Kupferer, The Boeing Co., Chris Bodenhorn, Lockheed Martin, and Steve Ramsey, Lockheed Martin Aerospace Systems.

The president and chairman congratulate the Rotorcraft Industry Technology Association Health and Usage Monitoring System Team. Representing RITA at the awards Banquet were Seth Dawson, Boeing- Mesa; Rich Teal, Boeing Philadelphis; Jim Cronkhite, Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.; and Joe Pratt andStuart Kershner of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. John Ward, RITA Executive Director was also asked to step forward to accept this honor.

Dean Borgman, left, then AHS chairman and Edward J. Renouard, then outgoing AHS (now VFS) president, center, present Frederic Schmitz, right, of NASA the Grover E. Bell Award certificate.

Horner presents Bell certificate to Franklin D. Harris in the image.

Teaming with Sikorsky was the U.S.Army's Applied Technology Laboratory.

In 1982 the Simulation Laboratory put into operational use a rotorcraft motion-base simulator that is a unique and valuable tool in the cost effective investigation of flight control laws,

Dr. Johnson has taken these individual contributions, and along with other disciplines, combined them into a comprehensive rotorcraft analysis computer program that is the most advanced and best documented available today.

As a result of this approach, a relatively trouble free flight test program quickly established the wide conversion flight corridor of the tilt rotor concept. The contractor flight test program included numerous full conversions, and the expansion of the flight envelope to 300 knots in the airplane mode set a new record for rotary aircraft. The award was accepted by Dean C. Borgman, Director of Advanced Systems at AVRADCOM, David D. Few- Assistant Chief of the NASA, and Kenneth G. Wernicke- Technical Manager for the XV-15 at Bell Helicopter Textron.

The award was accepted on behalf of the ABC Team by President Gerald J. Tobias

Sanders now is manager- LAMPS Technology.

Drees and his coworkers at Bell have developed and successfully demonstrated a nodalized beam system that virtually prevents rotor-induced vibrations from being transmitted to a helicopter fuselage. Scientific benefits include ride smoothness and increased maneuver capability with the anticipation of improved subsystem life and reduced structural fatigue.

Carlos C. Wood. Sikorsky Engineering Manager, accepted the award.

The combat development office developed the successful helicopter armament program which has provided an integrated company strength helicopter squadron adequately armed to provide reconnaissance, fire suppression, and tank and transport vehicle kill capabilities completely integrated with troop and cargo supply transport in mobile front line warfare. With this concept, the Army has demonstrated full-scale combat exercises with groups of helicopters including company -sized units of up to forty helicopters during the year 1960.

The award was accepted by Lee Douglas, Vice President, for Vertol Engineering Staff.