Tiltrotor Drive System

Published at : 23 Dec 2025

A video showing an animation of the drive system and the pylon conversion system of a tiltrotor.

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References:
[TSB Bell 206 failure](https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/2011/a11c0152/a11c0152.html)
[Sprag Clutch Failure Mechanisms Guide](https://www.gmnbt.com/resources/guides/sprag-clutch/failure-mechanisms-guide/)

AW-609 Autorotation
https://www.helis.com/database/news/aw609_autorotat/
https://www.leonardo.com/en/press-release-detail/-/detail/aw609-autorotation-trials-completion

NASA Technical Report
The History of the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft" Maisel, Giulianetti, Dugan, NASA, 2000
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20000027499

Image Credits
[BA 609, Dmitry Mottl, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BA609_02.jpg)
[Bell XV-3, San Diego Air & Space Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bell_XV-3.jpg)


00:00 Intro
00:51 Overview of a Tiltrotor
03:37 Pylon Conversion System
04:41 Drive System
06:26 Proprotor Gearboxes
10:03 Tilt Axis Gearboxes
11:18 Pylon Drive Shaft
11:30 Interconnect Drive Shaft
12:48 Midwing Gearbox
13:41 Engine Failures
17:24 Sprag Clutch
21:10 Safety Critical Systems
Outro