Porvair Filtration Group has announced that following an extensive test programme, its Sinterflo F Metal Filters have been selected by the US Army Aviation Engineering Directorate Propulsion Hydraulic Team (AED) at Fort Rucker Alabama for installation across their fleet of AH-64 (Apache) and UH-60 (Blackhawk) helicopters.
The company submitted its new Sinterflo F ‘robust metal mesh media' for this test programme to demonstrate its capability to capture and retain particulate, without effecting filter replacement intervals.
“The testing was a great success and clearly determined the excellent capability of this new filter media,” commented Porvair Filtration Group's aerospace market manager, Andy Cowan. “Particulate contamination decreased from a NAS class 5 to NAS class 1, which was an outstanding result. Not one of the indicators which signal filter change actuated during the entire test programme providing additional evidence of not only improved filter efficiency but also long filter life.”
Following the success of the first flight trials AED Engineers fitted the robust filter elements to a further 60 Apache and 70 Blackhawk training helicopters as a ‘lead the fleet' test. The US Army was so impressed by the results it is now going to introduce a new Military Specification for both filters so that they can be used on all Army Apache and Blackhawk helicopters.
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