Recent trend in the aeronautic industry is to introduce a novel prognostic solution for \ncritical systems in the attempt to increase vehicle availability, reduce costs, and optimize the \nmaintenance policy. Despite this, there is a general lack of literature about prognostics for hydraulic \nflight control systems, especially looking at helicopter applications. The present research was \nfocused on a preliminary study for an integrated framework of fault detection and failure prognosis \ntailored for one of the most common architectures for flight control actuation. Starting from a high\nfidelity dynamic model of the system, two different faults were studied and described within a \ndedicated simulation environment: the opening of a crack in the coils of the centering springs of the \nactuator and the wear of the inner seals. Both failure modes were analyzed through established \nmodels available in the literature and their evolution simulated within the model of the actuator. \nHence, an in depth feature selection process was pursued aimed at the definition of signals suitable \nfor both diagnosis and prognosis. Results were then reported through an accuracy sensitivity plane \nand used to define a prognostic routine based on particle filtering techniques. The more significant \ncontribution of the present research was that no additional sensors are needed so that the prognostic \nsystem can be potentially implemented for in service platforms.
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