background image

517 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 27.725 

Metallic Materials and Elements for 
Flight Vehicle Structures, (Sept. 15, 
1976, as amended through December 15, 
1978). This incorporation by reference 
was approved by the Director of the 
Federal Register in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. section 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. 
Copies may be obtained from the Naval 
Publications and Forms Center, 5801 
Tabor Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania, 19120. Copies may be inspected 
at the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA). For informa-
tion on the availability of this mate-
rial at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go 
to: 

http://www.archives.gov/federal-reg-

ister/cfr/ibr-locations.html 

(5) Pulleys must have close fitting 

guards to prevent the cables from being 
displaced or fouled. 

(6) Pulleys must lie close enough to 

the plane passing through the cable to 
prevent the cable from rubbing against 
the pulley flange. 

(7) No fairlead may cause a change in 

cable direction of more than 3

°

(8) No clevis pin subject to load or 

motion and retained only by cotter 
pins may be used in the control sys-
tem. 

(9) Turnbuckles attached to parts 

having angular motion must be in-
stalled to prevent binding throughout 
the range of travel. 

(10) There must be means for visual 

inspection at each fairlead, pulley, ter-
minal, and turnbuckle. 

(e) Control system joints subject to 

angular motion must incorporate the 
following special factors with respect 
to the ultimate bearing strength of the 
softest material used as a bearing: 

(1) 3.33 for push-pull systems other 

than ball and roller bearing systems. 

(2) 2.0 for cable systems. 
(f) For control system joints, the 

manufacturer’s static, non-Brinell rat-
ing of ball and roller bearings must not 
be exceeded. 

[Doc. No. 5074, 29 FR 15695, Nov. 24, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 27–11, 41 FR 55469, Dec. 20, 
1976; Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8001, Mar. 6, 1990; 69 
FR 18803, Apr. 9, 2004; Doc. No. FAA–2018– 
0119, Amdt. 27–49, 83 FR 9170, Mar. 5, 2018] 

§ 27.687

Spring devices. 

(a) Each control system spring device 

whose failure could cause flutter or 

other unsafe characteristics must be 
reliable. 

(b) Compliance with paragraph (a) of 

this section must be shown by tests 
simulating service conditions. 

§ 27.691

Autorotation control mecha-

nism. 

Each main rotor blade pitch control 

mechanism must allow rapid entry into 
autorotation after power failure. 

§ 27.695

Power boost and power-oper-

ated control system. 

(a) If a power boost or power-oper-

ated control system is used, an alter-
nate system must be immediately 
available that allows continued safe 
flight and landing in the event of— 

(1) Any single failure in the power 

portion of the system; or 

(2) The failure of all engines. 
(b) Each alternate system may be a 

duplicate power portion or a manually 
operated mechanical system. The 
power portion includes the power 
source (such as hydraulic pumps), and 
such items as valves, lines, and actu-
ators. 

(c) The failure of mechanical parts 

(such as piston rods and links), and the 
jamming of power cylinders, must be 
considered unless they are extremely 
improbable. 

L

ANDING

G

EAR

 

§ 27.723

Shock absorption tests. 

The landing inertia load factor and 

the reserve energy absorption capacity 
of the landing gear must be substan-
tiated by the tests prescribed in 
§§ 27.725 and 27.727, respectively. These 
tests must be conducted on the com-
plete rotorcraft or on units consisting 
of wheel, tire, and shock absorber in 
their proper relation. 

§ 27.725

Limit drop test. 

The limit drop test must be con-

ducted as follows: 

(a) The drop height must be— 
(1) 13 inches from the lowest point of 

the landing gear to the ground; or 

(2) Any lesser height, not less than 

eight inches, resulting in a drop con-
tact velocity equal to the greatest 
probable sinking speed likely to occur 

VerDate Sep<11>2014 

09:06 Jun 28, 2024

Jkt 262046

PO 00000

Frm 00527

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8010

Y:\SGML\262046.XXX

262046

jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with CFR

background image

518 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 27.727 

at ground contact in normal power-off 
landings. 

(b) If considered, the rotor lift speci-

fied in § 27.473(a) must be introduced 
into the drop test by appropriate en-
ergy absorbing devices or by the use of 
an effective mass. 

(c) Each landing gear unit must be 

tested in the attitude simulating the 
landing condition that is most critical 
from the standpoint of the energy to be 
absorbed by it. 

(d) When an effective mass is used in 

showing compliance with paragraph (b) 
of this section, the following formula 
may be used instead of more rational 
computations: 

W

W

h

d

h

d

n

n

W

W

L

e

j

e

=

×

+ −

(

)

+

=

+

1 L

and

;

where: 

W

e

= the effective weight to be used in the 

drop test (lbs.); 

W  =  W

M

for main gear units (lbs.), equal to 

the static reaction on the particular unit 
with the rotorcraft in the most critical 
attitude. A rational method may be used 
in computing a main gear static reac-
tion, taking into consideration the mo-
ment arm between the main wheel reac-
tion and the rotorcraft center of gravity. 

W  =  W

N

for nose gear units (lbs.), equal to 

the vertical component of the static re-
action that would exist at the nose 
wheel, assuming that the mass of the 
rotorcraft acts at the center of gravity 
and exerts a force of 1.0

g  downward and 

0.25

forward. 

W  =  W

T

for tailwheel units (lbs.), equal to 

whichever of the following is critical: 

(1) The static weight on the tailwheel with 

the rotorcraft resting on all wheels; or 

(2) The vertical component of the ground 

reaction that would occur at the tailwheel, 
assuming that the mass of the rotorcraft 
acts at the center of gravity and exerts a 
force of l

g  downward with the rotorcraft in 

the maximum nose-up attitude considered in 
the nose-up landing conditions. 

= specified free drop height (inches). 
= ration of assumed rotor lift to the rotor-

craft weight. 

d  = deflection under impact of the tire (at 

the proper inflation pressure) plus the 
vertical component of the axle travels 
(inches) relative to the drop mass. 

= limit inertia load factor. 
n

j

= the load factor developed, during impact, 

on the mass used in the drop test (i.e., 

the acceleration 

dv/dt  in  g’s recorded in 

the drop test plus 1.0). 

§ 27.727

Reserve energy absorption 

drop test. 

The reserve energy absorption drop 

test must be conducted as follows: 

(a) The drop height must be 1.5 times 

that specified in § 27.725(a). 

(b) Rotor lift, where considered in a 

manner similar to that prescribed in 
§ 27.725(b), may not exceed 1.5 times the 
lift allowed under that paragraph. 

(c) The landing gear must withstand 

this test without collapsing. Collapse 
of the landing gear occurs when a 
member of the nose, tail, or main gear 
will not support the rotorcraft in the 
proper attitude or allows the rotorcraft 
structure, other than the landing gear 
and external accessories, to impact the 
landing surface. 

[Doc. No. 5074, 29 FR 15695, Nov. 24, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8001, Mar. 6, 
1990] 

§ 27.729

Retracting mechanism. 

For rotorcraft with retractable land-

ing gear, the following apply: 

(a) 

Loads.  The landing gear, retract-

ing mechansim, wheel-well doors, and 
supporting structure must be designed 
for— 

(1) The loads occurring in any ma-

neuvering condition with the gear re-
tracted; 

(2) The combined friction, inertia, 

and air loads occurring during retrac-
tion and extension at any airspeed up 
to the design maximum landing gear 
operating speed; and 

(3) The flight loads, including those 

in yawed flight, occurring with the 
gear extended at any airspeed up to the 
design maximum landing gear extended 
speed. 

(b) 

Landing gear lock. A positive 

means must be provided to keep the 
gear extended. 

(c) 

Emergency operation. When other 

than manual power is used to operate 
the gear, emergency means must be 
provided for extending the gear in the 
event of— 

(1) Any reasonably probable failure in 

the normal retraction system; or 

(2) The failure of any single source of 

hydraulic, electric, or equivalent en-
ergy. 

VerDate Sep<11>2014 

09:06 Jun 28, 2024

Jkt 262046

PO 00000

Frm 00528

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8010

Y:\SGML\262046.XXX

262046

EC28SE91.085</MATH>

jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with CFR