The efficiency of passive vibration damping on the pilot seat of piston propeller aircraft

•Analysed characteristics of vibration on the pilot seat of piston propeller aircraft.•Changes in flight modes impact vibrations on the seat without a rubber absorber.•The rubber absorber provides vibration damping on the pilot seat in Z axis direction.•The rubber absorber is effective at vibration frequencies below 100Hz in Z axis direction.•Positive contribution of the rubber absorber is negligible in the direction of Y axis. Long-term exposure to vibration adversely affects mental and physical condition of the pilot and increases body fatigue. This paper presents the results of tests dealing with the measurements of vibrations at the seat and cabin floor of the flight instructor of the piston engine propeller aircraft and other engine and flight, parameters. Two tests were conducted, one with a rubber absorber built in under the pilot seat and the other test without the absorber. The research is based on an analysis of magnitude of the vibration accelerations, at the harmonics of the engine running speed, in three flight regimes. The applied rubber absorber, with certain physical properties and mechanical characteristics, has provided the desired vibration damping on the seat in vertical direction of Z axis, in all flight profiles on Propeller Rotation Frequency and its several harmonics.