Strength test of helicopter main rotor control pusher

This paper deals with bench testing of the tensile strength of the tappet in the main rotor control system of the Robinson R44 helicopter. Typical helicopter main rotor control solutions are described. In-house tests were prepared and carried out, involving tensile testing of four pushrods of the R44 helicopter control system on a testing machine. Results were obtained in the form of a force–deflection relationship. It was found that the tensile strength of the tappets tested was more than four times higher than the load equivalent to the weight of the helicopter in flight. The article is based on the author's master's thesis entitled "Strength of the main rotor tappet of the Robinson R44 helicopter", defended at the National Academy of Applied Sciences in Chełm in June 2024.