Abstract: A mounting arrangement (100) for a Variable Diameter Rotor blade assembly (16) having an outer blade segment telescopically mounting to a torque tube member (24), and connecting means (70) for transferring centrifugal loads of the outer blade segment (22) to a rotor hub assembly (18). The outer blade segment (22) includes a spar member (30) having a longitudinal axis (26) and defining an internal channel (62) for accepting the torque tube member (24) and the connecting means (70). The mounting arrangement (100) couples the connecting means (70) to the spar member (30) and includes a restraint surface (86) formed within the spar member (30) and a restraint assembly (68) disposed in combination therewith. The restraint surface (86) is disposed inboard of the tip end (90) of the spar member (30) and in a plane oriented transversely of the longitudinal axis (26).

Abstract: A fiber reinforced composite flexbeam which has torsionally stiff inboard and outboard end portions which taper down to form a torsionally soft, resilient, solid medial web portion is disclosed. Such a flexbeam may be used as a structural member in rotor connectors for a rotary wing aircraft to connect the rotor blade to the rotor hub.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of making fiber reinforced composite articles using match molds to compact a partially hollow fiber/matrix lay-up. The method comprises wrapping the matrix and fiber reinforcement about a mandrel, removing the mandrel from the lay-up or chilling the wrapped mandrel allowing for easy removal of the mandrel resulting in a relatively stiff hollow lay-up. The lay-up is then placed in a mold and compacted and cured to form the desired composite article. Such a method provides an easy method to form such complex composite article shapes as I-beam, C-beam, etc.