Abstract

Aircraft icing has been a safety issue for many decades and the subject has received considerable attention from the rotorcraft community during the past three decades. During this presentation, we will first review the fundamentals associated with inflight icing and ice accretion and then look at computation methods now used or in development within the rotorcraft industry. Discussed next will be the identification of aircraft components that need protection from the effects of ice accretion and the helicopters that have rotor ice protection systems. This will be followed by a discussion of the work necessary for the development of ice protection systems and the ground and flight testing necessary to verify the predictions and assumptions made during ice protection system development for a helicopter.

Bio

Robert Flemming earned a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Purdue in 1967. He received a master of science in engineering science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1970.
With an impressive 44-year Sikorsky career, Flemming today serves in the role of engineering mentor and advisor as a technical fellow, while also serving in his technical specialty as the chief of Sikorsky’s icing research, development and certification activities. As an internationally recognized aircraft icing expert, referred to as “Dr. Ice” by his Sikorsky coworkers, he has authored or coauthored over 90 technical reports, conference publications and other documents.
Previously, he was in charge of the research laboratories at Sikorsky and earlier had significant roles in the aerodynamic design and wind tunnel and flight testing of the Black Hawk, Comanche and S-92A helicopters, and other research aircraft such as the Sikorsky X-Wing helicopter.
Flemming has previously been honored as an American Helicopter Society Technical Fellow and honored with the Sikorsky Donald L. Ferris Lifetime Achievement Award. He was awarded two patents for aerodynamic designs and has four icing design patents pending.

An informal coffee & cookie reception will be held prior to the lecture at 2:30 p.m. in the AAE/ARMS undergraduate lounge (directly in front of ARMS 3rd floor elevators).