Driveshaft Alignment Indicator.

The purpose of this program was to reduce the difficulty of drive-shaft alignment and to improve dynamic alignment by allowing inflight measurement on Army UH-1AH-1 helicopters. Under Contract DAAJ02-76-C-0010, a first-concept driveshaft alignment indicator was investigated. The program included ground and flight tests on an Army UH-1 helicopter. A second-generation concept was evolved which indicated improved accuracy and greatly reduced system cost. The second-generation concept was investigated under Contract DAAJ02-77-C-0006. The investigation included design and manufacture of a prototype alignment- measuring tool, ground and flight tests, and a survey of the existing driveshaft alignments of Army helicopters. The survey included eight UH-1 at Bradley Field, Connecticut, ten UH-1 at Felker Field, Fort Eustis, Virginia, and ten UH-1 at Simmons Field, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Subsequently, three AH-1 were measured at Felker Field, and finally a UH-1 with sling load was measured at Kaman. The significant measurements were static alignment, hover at a 5-foot skid height, and low-speed high-power climb 70 knots forward speed, 1000 ftminute climb.