Helicopter rotor blade with reinforced shielding against lightning strike

摘要

The rotor blade for a tail rotor made basically from a synthetic matrix with mineral and/or organic reinforcing fibres, has upper and lower surfaces extending between its leading and trailing (8) edges. The leading edge is protected by a conducting metal strip (12') with upper (12a) and lower (12b) sections joined to the corresponding surfaces of the blade. The blade has a separate end cap (13'), also of a conducting metal, with upper (13'a) and lower (13b) sections extending across the whole chord of the blade. The end cap is in electrical continuity with the leading edge strip, and its upper and lower sections are of different widths across the chord of the blade. In addition, each section reduces in width from the leading edge of the blade to the trailing edge.