Cleaning apparatus for rotor blades

An apparatus for cleaning a rotor blade (5) of an aircraft, comprising:

• a frame (1) comprising at least one cleaning element (6, 7;
• 19, 20) spaced apart from a support element by an opening (4), wherein the frame is configured for accepting the rotor blade (5) for cleaning through the opening (4);
• and
• a holder (9) for manually guiding the apparatus against and away from the rotor blade (5) and along the rotor blade (5), wherein one end of the holder (9) is connected to the frame by a joint (8) and an opposing end is free from connection, thereby forming a handle for grasping and for manual operation by the user, wherein the joint (8) provides an axis of rotation for the frame as a whole, wherein the axis of rotation extends in a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade (5) and substantially parallel to a surface of the rotor blade (5) when the blade is contacted on opposing sides by the apparatus via the at least one cleaning element (6, 7;
• 19, 20) and the support element, wherein movement of the handle in a first direction tilts the frame as a whole around the axis of rotation, thereby rotating the at least one cleaning element (6, 7;
• 19, 20) and support element against the opposing sides of the rotor blade (5) for cleaning, and movement of the handle in an opposing direction removes tilt of the frame as a whole around the axis of rotation, thereby counter rotating the at least one cleaning element (6, 7;
• 19, 20) and support element away from the opposing sides of the rotor blade (5) to release the rotor blade (5);
• wherein the joint comprises a spring or elastic element, wherein the spring or elastic element is biased to apply rotational forces between the at least one cleaning element (6, 7;
• 19, 20) and support element against the opposing sides of the rotor blade (5).