AE-686: Helicopter Theory

Homework - 1
Due: September 2, 2019

Total: 50 points

Q1. A helicopter with a gross weight of 1,365 kg, a main rotor radius of 4.0 m, and a rotor tip
speed of 207 m/s has 205 kW delivered to the main rotor shaft. For hovering conditions at
sea level, compute: (a) the rotor disk loading, (b) the ideal power loading, (c) the thrust
and torque coefficients, (d) the figure of merit (FM) and actual power loading and (e)
speed for ideal vertical autorotation. (14 points)

Q2. For the helicopter in the previous question, the tail rotor radius is 0.701 m and the tail
rotor is located 4.66 m from the main rotor shaft. Calculate the thrust and power required
by the tail rotor for hovering conditions at sea level. Assume that the FM of tail rotor is
0.7. (6 points)

Q3. Starting from the momentum theory result for the inflow ratio at the rotor disk in forward
flight, program numerical solutions to this inflow equation using both the fixed-point
iterative method and the Newton-Raphson method for disk angle of attack of 2◦ , µ = 0.2
and CT = 0.006. Plot the % error for each iteration step for both the methods vs iteration
number. Describe all the steps and state the converegence criteria used. Explore the effect
of the initial guess for the inflow ratio on the numerical solution. For the given CT and α
plot λ vs µ using both methods and compare it with the approximate solution of λ valid
for µ > 0.2 which is λ = µ tan(α) + C2µT . (20 points)

Q4. Using your numerical solution from previous question (use one of the two methods), plot
some example graphs of normalized inflow ratio (λ/λh ) and normalized induced inflow
ratio (λi /λh ) versus µ/λh in level flight for a series of rotor angles of attack: −2◦ , 0◦ , 2◦ , 4◦
and 6◦ . All the cases should be plotted in the same graph by using different line types.
Make sure all the graphs are well labeled using Matlab ”legends” command. (10 points)