Rotorcraft Aerodynamics

Assignment 2

Submitted by
Fareesa
Hussain
190101046
Aero-18(A)
1 -November-2022
st

Submitted to
Dr. Jamshed Riaz

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad
Copyright © 2021

This document is jointly copyrighted by the authors and the Institute of Space

Technology (IST). The author and IST can use, publish or reproduce this document in

any form. Under the copyright law no part of this document can be reproduced by

anyone, except copyright holders, without the permission of the authors.

 Table of Contents

Table of Contents..................................................................................................................i

List of Figures......................................................................................................................ii

List of Tables......................................................................................................................iii

1 Question.......................................................................................................................1

1.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................1

1.2 Helicopters Chosen...............................................................................................2

1.2.1 Light Weight Helicopter................................................................................2

1.2.2 Medium Weight Helicopter...........................................................................2

1.2.3 Heavy Weight Helicopter..............................................................................2

1.3 At sea-level and on 5000 ft on a standard day......................................................3

1.3.1 Comments 4

2 Question.......................................................................................................................5

Annex I...............................................................................................................................iv

i
 List of Figures

Fig. 1.1 Robinson R22 (Light Weight)................................................................................2

Fig. 1.2 UH-60 (Medium Weight)......................................................................................2

Fig. 1.3 CH-47F (Heavy Weight)........................................................................................2

Fig. 1.4 Thrust Coefficient vs Gross weight........................................................................3

ii
 List of Tables

Table A Helicopter Data....................................................................................................iv

iii
 1 Question

Collect the relevant data of various helicopters and plot thrust coefficient vs gross weight.

1.1 Introduction

First we will find the thrust coefficient i.e CT using the following formula,

𝑇
𝐶𝑇 =
𝜌𝐴(Ω𝑅)2

Here,

CT = Thrust coefficient (Non dimensional)

T = Thrust produced by rotor (lb) but in the case of hover, this thrust will be equal to weight of

helicopter.

𝜌 = Density (slugs/ft3)

A = Area of rotor disk (ft2)

Ω = Rotational speed of blade tip (rad/sec)

R = Rotor radius (ft)

We will find the following data for all categories i.e. heavy weight, medium weigh and light

weight helicopters.

Light weight helicopters have maximum gross weight of about 12,000 lb, medium weight

helicopters have gross weight in between 12,000 and 45,000 lb, and heavy weight helicopters

have minimum gross weight of about 45,000 to 50,000 lb,

1
 1.2 Helicopters Chosen

Following helicopters are chosen for each weight category

1.2.1 Light Weight Helicopter

Robinson R22 

It is a type of conventional helicopter with one main

rotor. The helicopter has a two-blade main rotor.

Fig. 1.1 Robinson R22(Light Weight)

1.2.2 Medium Weight Helicopter

UH-60 Black Hawk

It is a medium-size, twin-engine, multipurpose helicopter.

The helicopter employs a relatively conventional design

and construction.

Fig. 1.2 UH-60 (Medium Weight)

1.2.3 Heavy Weight Helicopter

Boeing CH-47F Chinook

It is a heavy transport helicopter act as a heavy-lift

helicopter for military and civil use. It has a main rotor

and a tail rotor configuration with a very large blades.

Fig. 1.3 CH-47F (Heavy Weight)

2
1.3 At sea-level and on 5000 ft on a standard day.

Density for sea-level and 5000 ft is is

𝜌𝑆𝐿 = 2.3769 × 10 −3𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑠/𝑓𝑡3

𝜌5000𝑓𝑡 = 2.0482 × 10 −3𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑠/𝑓𝑡3

Using the data of various helicopters in Annex I graph is plotted in excel showing the relation of

thrust coefficient with gross weight of different helicopter categories at different altitudes.

0.00012
0.0001 0.000098
0.0001

0.00008
Coefficient of thrust

0.000087 0.000082
0.00006

0.00004
0.000021

0.00002

0.000018
0
gross weight 1,370  22,000 50,000 

Fig. 1.4 Thrust Coefficient vs Gross weight

3
1.3.1 Comments

We will closely look into graph and compare the results with this equation

𝑇
𝐶𝑇 =
𝜌𝐴(Ω𝑅)2

1. From the following graph we can conclude that thrust coefficient increases with

increasing altitude. This is obvious from the thrust coefficient equation that CT is

inversely proportional to density. Higher the altitude lower will be the density which

means higher will be the thrust coefficient for same gross weight.

2. It can also be seen that the thrust coefficient of heavy weight helicopters is greater than

medium weight helicopters. It is clear from the relation that in case of hover when thrust

is equals to weight, more weight means more thrust coefficient.

3. But for light weight and medium weight helicopters we can see that the area and radius of

medium helicopter is larger than the light helicopter and there is a minor difference in

their weight so that is why medium weight has the lower thrust coefficient.

4. Also from the data of helicopters, we can see that the rotational speed of heavy weight

helicopter is lesser than other two. That is why its CT is higher than the other two.

4
 Question 2

Estimate the power requirement for hover using momentum theory in each case.

Figure of merit FM = 0.7

Using the following relations and data from Annex

𝑇
𝖯= √
2𝜌𝐴

𝑃𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙 = 𝑇𝖯 × 0.00182 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑝

𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 𝐹𝑀 × 𝑃𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑙

Induced
Helicopter Altitude 𝑷𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 Engine Power
velocity
Category (ft) (hp) (hp) (hp)
(𝝑) ( ft/s)

Light Weight Sealevel 19.87 49.54 34.68 55

Robinson R22 5000ft 21.47 53.53 37.471 55

Medium Weight Sealevel 45.1 1805.804 1264.06 1800

UH60 5000ft 48.34 1935.53 1354.871 1800

Heavy Weight Sealevel 43.22 3933.02 2753.114 9500

CH-47F 5000ft 47.25 4299.75 3009.825 9500

From the following results we can see that

𝑷𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 < 𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍

Which is obvious as we have made several assumptions when deriving momentum theory

equation. Power which is actually utilized by the helicopter is always more than the ideal power.

5
 𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍 < 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓

We can see that the engine gives sufficient power to helicopter. So helicopters of all the
categories can hover at both sea-level and at 5000 ft altitude.

6
 Annex I

Helicopter Data:

Helicopter Altitude Thrust D A Ω Engine

𝑪𝑻
Category (ft) (lb) (ft) 𝟐
(𝒇𝒕 ) rad/sec Power (hp)

Light Weight Sealevel 1,370  25  497  530  0.0000 1 x 55 

18
Robinsin R22 5000ft 1,370  25  497  530  0.0000 1 x 55 
21
Medium Weight Sealevel 22,000 53.75 2,260  258 0.0000 2 x 900
87
UH60 5000ft 22,000 53.75 2,260  258 0.0001 2 x 900

Heavy Weight Sealevel 50,000  2*60  5,600  225  0.0000 2 x 4,733 

82
CH47F 5000ft 50,000  2*60  5,600  225  0.0000 2 x 4,733 
98

Table A Helicopter Data

iv
v