REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (Mar. 19, 2015) -- A team from the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center were selected to receive the 2015 American Helicopter Society Grover E. Bell Award as part of the Hub Mounted Vibration Suppressor team.
The Grover E. Bell Award is given for an outstanding research and experimentation contribution to the field of vertical flight development brought to fruition during the preceding calendar year.
"The incredible accomplishments by the engineers, scientists and leaders who advance vertical flight technology and by the skilled pilots and crews who operate their products is staggering," said Ed Birtwell, Vice President and General Manager, Turboshaft/Turboprop Engines for GE Aviation and this year's Chair of the Board of AHS International. "The AHS International Awards Program has very high standards. Those recognized today are truly outstanding examples of the best that the technical and operational communities have to offer."
The HMVS is designed to replace the standard UH-60 passive bifilar vibration absorber with potential for both improved vibration control and significant weight savings. The HMVS team at the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, within the Aviation Development Directorate includes Lt. Col. Evan Brown, David Waldman, Terry Duquette, Lou Centolanza, Jim DiOttavio, Paul Dececchis, Donna Amole, Scott Fanning, Grochelle Delapena, and Kelvin Braxton.
The HMVS was developed jointly by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and the Lord Corporation and is one piece of a larger vibration suppression solution which would combine the HMVS with a cabin mounted Active Vibration Control system.
"The success of the HMVS effort is an excellent example of the cooperative efforts between AMRDEC and industry in advancing the state-of-the-art for the Aviation Warfighter," said Col. Steven Braddom, Commander AATD. "The Grover E. Bell award represents recognition by the entire vertical lift community for this long term and complex team effort and the team is looking forward to taking the next step with this technology later this year."
The HMVS was flight tested by ADD-AATD at Fort Eustis, VA in 2013-14 under the Active Rotor Component Demonstration ARCD Technology Investment Agreement TIA with the objective of verifying HMVS performance. The flight test effort consisted of approximately 30 hours of ground and 40 hours of flight test on a UH-60A Blackhawk. The HMVS testing was the final risk mitigation step for the flight testing of the complete HMVS and AVC system which will be performed at ADD-AATD later this year.
The Grover E. Bell Award was created by Larry Bell, founder of Bell Aircraft, now Bell Helicopter Textron, in 1957, in honor of his pioneering older brother, Grover E. Bell, who was killed in an aircraft crash in 1913.
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AMRDEC is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
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