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NASA to conduct helicopter crash test at Langley

By WTOP Staff

BROCK VERGAKIS
Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — NASA engineers on Wednesday will crash a former military helicopter that’s been retrofitted with various composite subfloors to see how the material affects the likelihood of injuries.

Interest in using carbon composites in airframe design has grown because it is a lightweight material, but NASA officials say there hasn’t been a lot of safety testing done on a full-scale level.

“One of the things that concerns me with carbon composites is how crashworthy it is, and knowing that, what is it you can do within future designs that will give you both – that you still have all the added benefits of reduced weight and still, will it be reliably crashworthy?” said Martin Annett, the lead test engineer for Wednesday’s test. “That’s really been the drive for NASA here to look at those types of designs.”

The materials will be tested at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton. The former Marine helicopter airframe will be swung from cables like a large pendulum at a slight angle and then released so it can free fall and slam into a pile of soil at 30 mph. Officials say the impact is representative of a severe but survivable crash under civilian and military requirements.

NASA is collaborating with the Navy, Army, Federal Aviation Administration, the German Aerospace Center and the Australian Cooperative Research Center for Advanced Composite Structures on the test.

“The Navy is acutely interested in how well the composite underfloor structure behaves,” said Lindley Bark, Naval Air Systems Command’s crash safety engineer.

“I expect to use this data for the next 10 to 20 years.”

A similar crash test was conducted last summer, although the composite material was not used. Officials say this fall’s test with a CH-46 Sea Knight is based, in part, on what they learned last year. Bark said the Navy is gathering so much data from the crash test that it will take several months to analyze all of it, but that the lessons learned from it could be applied shortly after that.

One of the experiments the Navy is testing has to do with crash recorders being placed in various locations within the helicopter, which could allow investigators to analyze that data instead of having to reconstruct crashes.

Three energy-absorbing composite subfloor concepts will be tested. NASA says nearly 40 cameras inside and outside the helicopter will record how 13 data-recording crash test dummies and two mannequins react before, during and after impact.

NASA says it will use the results of the crash test to improve rotorcraft performance and efficiency. Researchers also want to create better computer models that can be used to design safer helicopters.

Both tests are part of the Rotary Wing Project in the Fundamental Aeronautics Program of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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