Technology Transfer to Helitech
Collaboration
- Date:
- 1 May, 2003
Both DSTO and Helitech have benefited through the transfer of DSTO's composite bonded repair technology.
-
- The Hercules aircraft
DSTO invented and now leads the world in the use of adhesively bonded fibre composites to repair or reinforce aircraft components. DSTO-developed composite bonded repairs have many advantages over traditional mechanical repair methods, such as bolting or riveting. They are lighter in weight, offer more uniform load transfer, seal interfaces to reduce corrosion and leakage, create minimal damage to the parent structure and facilitate non-destructive inspection.
Since this technology was first used to overcome stress corrosion cracking on ADF C-130 Hercules wing planks, there has been no observed growth in any of the thousands of cracks repaired, some of which are now 25 years old. The estimated saving for the ADF is over $150 million. Ongoing evolution of this technology has seen increasingly sophisticated and specialised repairs applied across the ADF fleet.
In 1990, an Australian-owned private company, Helitech Industries Pty Ltd, was licensed to market and develop DSTO’s composite bonded repair technology.
Helitech is a small-to-medium enterprise that specialises in the development and marketing of aerospace products to commercial and military customers worldwide. Helitech has been highly successful in marketing the technology internationally.
In 1995, Helitech, in collaboration with DSTO, developed a composite bonded repair for the US Air Force C-141 Starlifter heavy transport aircraft. Helitech’s wholly owned US subsidiary, Composite Technologies Inc, was awarded a contract for the repair of the US Air Force Starlifter fleet wings. The contract was worth over US$10 million.
In 1996, Helitech teamed with DynCorp, a major US defence contractor, to form the joint venture, Advanced Repair Technologies Inc (ARTI), to further exploit the commercial and defence markets for composite bonded repairs. In close collaboration with DSTO, ARTI has developed and applied major structural repairs for Belgium’s F-16 Falcon and has offered the repairs to the US Air Force.
Helitech has also used the licensed technology to develop rotor blade repairs, and has conducted major repairs on the US Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter fleet. This contract is ongoing.
Both DSTO and Helitech have benefited through this transfer of technology. Helitech has gained substantial export opportunities and experience in supporting ADF aircraft. At the same time, DSTO has enhanced its technology base through the evaluation of the technology on a wide range of aircraft and in externally funded trials, mainly in the USA.