Electric load damper for damping torsional oscillation

An aircraft torsional oscillation damping system, comprising:

• a gas turbine engine having at least one rotating shaft;
• at least one synchronous generator operable to provide a plurality of phases of electrical output in response to a mechanical input from a rotating shaft;
• at least one electric load damper, each of the at least one synchronous generators having an associated electric load damper, the at least one electric load damper including a phase leg for each of the plurality of phases, each phase leg comprising:
• a resistive load;
• a snubber;
• and
• at least one solid state switch in parallel with the snubber, the at least one solid state switch and snubber being collectively in series with the resistive load;
• and
• a controller operable to receive a signal indicative of a rotational speed oscillation of the synchronous generator, and operable to selectively reduce a torsional oscillation of the shaft by diverting electrical current from the synchronous generator through the resistive load of each of the plurality of phases in response to the signal exceeding a predefined rotational speed oscillation threshold.