LORD Shimmy Damper Offers Performance for Aircraft Fleet

The LORD Shimmy Damper achieves STC, saves more than 100,000 USD and reduces down time for Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron Aircraft fleet.

LORD Corporation’s proprietary shimmy damper recently achieved Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) #SA00609DE for all models of the Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron aircraft. Offered as STC equipment for all models of the Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron, the nose wheel shimmy damper replaces the original equipment shimmy damper on the Bonanza and Baron aircraft. Utilizing LORD Corporation’s patented Surface-Effect technology, the damper – sporting the same form, fit and function as the original Beech Aircraft damper – provides consistent damping without maintenance or the use of hydraulic fluid. Since the damper contains no fluid, it cannot leak and will last eight to 10 years without service.

Development of the Surface-Effect technology for shimmy damper applications involved several steps. LORD began with an evaluation of the current hydraulic dampers in field tests and in the laboratory. The next step was leveraging their more than 10 years of experience with Surface Effect for industrial applications and measuring shimmy events with the standard dampers to establish a design target. Extensive development tests validated the design and durability of the dampers in the laboratory. Then field tests were conducted to verify the design effectiveness in short-term tests.

Typical dampers utilize fluids to resist motion, but a mere 10 to 20 drops of leakage has been shown to cut performance in half. Instead of using fluids to resist motion, LORD Corporation’s shimmy damper features a unique rubber formulation with a high-tech lubricant to absorb nose wheel vibration. Essentially, the metal piston found in the traditional damper has been replaced with a rubber piston that presses against the inner diameter of the damper housing. This rubber piston then rides on a very thin film of grease and the rubbing action between the piston and the housing provides the necessary damping. Due to its Surface Effect design, the shimmy damper's force and energy dissipation can be precisely controlled over time and within a wide range of temperatures. The resulting damping is effective over a temperature range from -30 to 150-degrees-Fahrenheit.

Accelerated life testing of the LORD shimmy damper demonstrates that it performs in excess of 5,000 ground-air-ground duty cycles. This represents a product life of more than 10 years of usage on a typical, high-use, single-engine piston airplane.

Available through LORD distribution partners, the same part number (SE-1076-1) fits all models of the Bonanza and Baron.

LORD Corporation’s shimmy damper continues to receive credit for minimizing downtime and reducing maintenance costs. Case in point is the Brampton Flight Centre, which is owned and operated by the Brampton Flying Club (BFC) in Caledon close to the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario. Angelo Micone, Director of Maintenance, knows how important it is to keep aircraft flying in top condition. Home to one of the largest flight schools in Canada, the Centre has a fleet of 20. Once plagued with downtime related to nose wheel shimmy, Micone says such issues have virtually been eliminated since he started installing the LORD shimmy damper in 1999.

“The LORD shimmy damper pays for itself within six months and really helps keep our aircraft flying,” Micone said.

Since Micone was overhauling shimmy dampers on his fleet approximately every six months at a cost of about $400/each, switching to the LORD shimmy has resulted in savings of approximately $16,000 per year, which equates to more than $100,000 since 1999.

Savings also extend to reduced downtime and lower vibration levels. Richard Hillis, owner of a 1962 Bonanza P Model aircraft, noted a remarkable difference in the performance of the nose gear using the LORD shimmy damper. He stated that the damper on this particular aircraft model is subject to frequent maintenance and/or replacement because of the manner in which it wears, but he is confident the LORD shimmy damper will alleviate this hassle.

“Knowing that this technology is proven for use on many other aircraft gave me great confidence before even using it,” said Hillis. “Then, after testing it myself, I experienced first-hand the difference. I could feel the improvement in the rudder pedals as well as the overall feel of the airplane. The LORD shimmy damper drastically reduced the amount of vibration and shimmy experienced.”

According to George D. Pudsey, a district sales manager for Aviall – an aftermarket supply-chain management services company for the aerospace, defense and marine industries -- the shimmy damper makes even a bigger difference for those landing on a grass strip.

“Since I work in the industry, I’d heard about LORD Corporation’s shimmy damper for years,” said Pudsey. “When I installed it on my aircraft (Cessna 172) three years ago, I noticed a dramatic difference on a paved strip. Then, when I started using a grass strip that isn’t very smooth, the difference between LORD Corporation’s product and the OEM-supplied damper was obvious. The LORD shimmy damper is one of the best aftermarket products out there.”

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