Blade inspection method

Blade inspection method is a system to detect cracks in the main rotor blades. The method involved pressurizing the interior cavity of the rotor blades. If a crack is present, pressure is lost and a red indicator on the rotor blade root end was tripped.^[1] Later, the BIM system was connected to a cockpit display. BIM allowed only flawed rotor blades to be swapped out. This method has been used on Sikorsky's S-61 series^[1] and some later helicopter models.

References

1. 1 2 "Sikorsky Helicopters", pp. 614–615. Flight International, October 10, 1963.

External links

• EASA Safety for Sikorsky S-61 Series helicopters Blade Inspection Method (BIM) system
• Sikorsky ABC flight trials