New composite main rotor blades for the Sikorsky S-61 have been designed, constructed and flight tested. Design criteria are described and the geometry of the new blade is shown. Results of an extensive flight test program conducted to obtain a Supplementary Type Certificate from the FAA for these blades are presented. The flight test program included an investigation of the performance and stability and control characteristics, and measurement of the structural loads. The flight test program was conducted with the aircraft as currently equipped with metal blades and the aircraft with new composite blades, so that direct load comparisons could be made. The flight test data show that the new blades provide a considerable increase in the hover lift capability and a significant improvement in level flight performance. Critical oscillatory control loads with the new blades are shown to have amplitudes lower than those of the aircraft with metal blades and the vibration characteristics of the aircraft are not appreciably changed by the new blades. Pilot comments indicate that the handling characteristics of the aircraft are improved with the new blades.

Alupower Canada Limited and the Department of National Defence with CRAD funding and DGMEM engineering support are designing and constructing a fuel cell power system (FCPS) to power small unmanned vehicles (UUV's). The ARCS 1, a DND/DREP owned experimental unmanned submersible has been chosen as the trial vessel.The FCPS will provide sufficient energy to allow the UUV to operate submerged, continuously for 30 hours which is approximately 4 to 6 times the endurance of its existing nickel cadmium system.Unmanned underwater vehicles are attaining increasing importance as "force extenders" for more conventional manned maritime vehicles in times of budgetary constraint. Despite rapid advances in many UUV systems such as navigation and sensor technology, U W ' s are now limited by the availability of an advanced power source capable of attaining the desired mission.A steady state power output of 1.7 kW is achieved within a volume of 375 litres and system mass of 315 kg.