Boeing awarded Osprey contract

has been awarded a

contract valued at more than $15m to develop the V-22 Hydraulic Automated Test System (VHATS) to support the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

According to Boeing, VHATS will provide advanced dynamic testing for servo-cylinder linear and rotational actuators as well as other aircraft hydraulic components.

Hydraulic actuators use fluid pressure to move aircraft control surfaces and other components in flight. VHATS will incorporate sophisticated test development capabilities and a test macro library to simulate the functions of fly-by-wire flight control computers and test actuators. The system also will utilise programmable actuator load simulators to replicate aerodynamic forces on these components.

In addition, the system will automatically detect small internal and external actuator leaks that current test equipment cannot measure. The new test system features open hardware and software architecture to facilitate system upgrades.

Boeing has contracted with Testek, of Livonia, Michigan, to develop the VHATS test station, with delivery to the Boeing Philadelphia Support Equipment Integration Facility this spring.

Boeing Rotorcraft Systems is developing VHATS test routines for the first four of 17 hydraulic components the test station will support. Boeing will deliver four VHATS units and associated test routines to Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, to provide depot-level maintenance for V-22 hydraulic components.