US Army Rotorcraft Turboshaft Engines Sand and Dust Erosion Considerations

The impact of operating in a sand and dust environment on U.S. Army rotorcraft turbine engines has been a major concern since the first turbine powered UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) helicopter was fielded in the early 1960s. The implication on turbine engine performance and durability had not sufficiently been recognized, or addressed, in early engine designs. Early engine military specifications had been primarily concerned with U.S. Air Force 'jet' engines for fixed wing aircraft. Although these early specifications included sand and dust requirements relative to ingestion capability and test substantiation, actual rotorcraft field experience was not considered, nor, in fact, was actual data available. This paper provides a brief history of the impact of operation in sand and dust and operational considerations on U.S. Army rotorcraft turbine engines. The general effects of sand and dust erosion, compaction, deformation, glassing, etc., on engine turbomachinery will be discussed. Finally, the results of operation in Southeast Asia, and during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, possibly the worse case operational environment encountered to date, will be presented.