Helicopter Design

AMT 214

AAMT 2-6

Anti torque pedal

 The foot pedals used to control the pitch of the anti-torque or tail rotor of a single rotor
helicopter. The anti-torque pedals allow the pilot to control movement of the helicopter about its
vertical axis.

Articulated rotor

The purpose of the drag hinge and dampers is to absorb the acceleration and deceleration of
the rotor blades. The blades of a fully articulated rotor can also be feathered, or rotated about
their span wise axis. To put it more simply, feathering means the changing of the pitch angle of
the rotor blades.
Auto rotation

The rotor blades of a helicopter that is descending without engine power.

Blade alignment

Blade alignment means positioning the blade on the boot so that your center of gravity is directly
over the blade--and it affects everything about the way you skate.

Blade coning
Having the approximate coning angle built into the hub simply reduces bending stresses which
would otherwise occur in the blades, blade straps, and the hub bar. The rotor blade system is
going to have to find a place to cone one way or the other, so building the bend into the hub bar
allows you to control where it happens.

Blade droop
The angle formed between the span wise axis of the rotor blades, when the blades are not
rotating, and the plane of rotation of the blades perpendicular to the rotor shaft. The only force
acting on the blade to cause droop is gravity.

Blade flapping

Is the up and down movement of a rotor blade, which, in conjunction with cyclic feathering,
causes Dissymmetry of Lift to be eliminated.

The advancing blade, upon meeting the progressively higher airspeeds brought about by the
addition of forward flight velocity to the rotational airspeed (of the rotor), responds to the
increase of speed by producing more lift.

The blade flaps (or climbs) upward, and the change in relative wind and angle of attack reduces
the amount that would have been generated.

Blade grip

A molded plastic or machined metal part that connects the blades to the rotor head. The  grips
are bolted to the head by way of the feathering shaft, and the blades are bolted into the grips.
Blade root

This is the area where the blade attaches to the hub.

Blade span

The overall diameter of a ceiling fan’s blades or the distance from blade tip to blade tip while the
ceiling fan is in motion.
Blade spar

A main spar which comprises a root section and an main section, the root section
forms an integral cuff, the integral cuff having a first hub mount aperture and a
second hub mount aperture; a first pin which passes through the first aperture to
mount the main spar to the rotor hub assembly; and a second pin which passes
through the second aperture to mount the main spar to the rotor hub assembly.

Blade stall

Retreating blade stall is a hazardous flight condition in helicopters and other rotary wing aircraft,
where the rotor blade with the smaller resultant relative wind exceeds the critical angle.
Any stall is due to an excessive angle of attack.

Blade tip

Maximum reach of the blade from the center of the hub. Separates the leading and trailing
edges.

Blade track
Rotor blades travel around a hub at a given speed. In flight, they also change their pitch angle to
generate the helicopter’s direction of flight, speed and lift. Ideally, if all the blades are perfectly
identical and have been installed exactly to specifications, then for a given cyclic and collective
setting, the rotor blade tips will all “track” through the exact same point in space at a given point
in the rotation around the hub. If the blades are out of balance, they will cause a vibration or
beat frequency that is transmitted into the rotor head, transmission and airframe. This vibration
will also be felt in other components on the helicopter. Excessive vibration levels can lead to
premature wear and failure in components, and this leads to increased maintenance costs and
aircraft downtime.