System and method of protection of aircraft from foreign object strikes

A rotorcraft comprising:

• a fuselage;
• one or more engines coupled to the fuselage;
• and
• an aircraft structure protected from collisions with foreign object impacts, coupled to the fuselage and comprising:
• a first support proximate to a root of the aircraft structure;
• one or more first sheets comprising a first material and attached to the first support to form a first portion of a leading edge of the aircraft structure;
• a second support proximate to an outer end of the aircraft structure;
• one or more second sheets comprising a second material and attached to the second support to form a second portion of the leading edge;
• and
• a door comprising:
• one or more ribs disposed between the first support and the second support and configured to give shape to a third portion of a leading edge of the aircraft structure;
• and
• one or more third sheets comprising a third material, attached to the ribs to form the third portion of the leading edge;
• wherein the first support, the one or more first sheets, the second support, the one or more second sheets, the one or more ribs, and the one or more third sheets are disposed to mitigate damage from a collision with a foreign object by absorbing kinetic energy from a collision.

A method of protecting an aircraft structure from collisions with foreign objects, comprising:

• providing the aircraft structure;
• attaching to the aircraft structure a first support proximate to a root of the aircraft structure;
• attaching one or more first sheets comprising a first material to the first support to form a first portion of a leading edge of the aircraft structure;
• attaching a second support proximate to an outer end of the aircraft structure;
• attaching one or more second sheets comprising a second material and attached to the outer support to form a second portion of the leading edge;
• and
• attaching a door comprising:
• one or more ribs disposed between the first support and the second support and configured to give shape to a third portion of a leading edge of the aircraft structure;
• and
• one or more third sheets comprising a third material, attached to the ribs to form the third portion of the leading edge;
• wherein the first support, the one or more first sheets, the second support, the one or more second sheets, the one or more ribs, and the one or more third sheets are disposed to mitigate damage from a collision with a foreign object by absorbing kinetic energy from a collision.