MODULE 13

1- THEORY OF FLIGHT
ROTARY WING AERODYNAMICS
 THE BASICS
Operation and effect of cyclic, collective and anti-torque controls.

The structures of the rotary wing aircraft are designed to give rotary wing
aircraft its unique flight characteristics. One of the differences between a
rotary wing and a fixed-wing aircraft is the main source of lift. The fixed-
wing aircraft derives its lift from a fixed airfoil surface while the rotary wing
aircraft derives lift from a rotating airfoil called the rotor.

 THE BASICS
The typical configurations of rotary wing aircrafts

Autogyro - an aircraft with a free-spinning horizontal rotor that turns

due to passage of air upward through the rotor. This air motion is
created from forward motion of the aircraft resulting from either a
tractor or pusher configured engine/propeller design.

 THE BASICS
The typical configurations of rotary wing aircrafts

Single rotor helicopter - An aircraft with a singlal horizontal main rotor

that provides both lift and direction of travel is a single rotor helicopter.
A secondary rotor mounted vertically on the tail counteracts the
rotational force (torque) of the main rotor to correct yaw of the fuselage.

 THE BASICS
The typical configurations of rotary wing aircrafts

Dual rotor helicopter - An aircraft with two horizontal rotors that provide
both the lift and directional control is a dual rotor helicopter. The rotors
are counterrotating to balance the aerodynamic torque and eliminate
the need for a separate antitorque system.

 THE BASICS
Flight conditions
1.Hovering Flight

For a helicopter to hover, the lift and thrust produced by the rotor system
act straight up and must equal the weight and drag, which act straight
down. While hovering, the amount of main rotor thrust can be changed to
maintain the desired hovering altitude.

 THE BASICS
Flight conditions
An important factor: Thrust- tail rotor

Newton's Third Law states that for

every action there is an equal
and opposite reaction. Therefore,
as the engine turns the main rotor
system (the blades) in a direction,
the helicopter fuselage tends to
turn to the opposite. This
tendency for the fuselage to
rotate is called torque and the
amount of it is directly related to
the amount of engine power
being used to turn the main rotor
system.

 THE BASICS
Flight conditions
An important factor: Thrust- tail rotor

To counteract this torque-induced

turning tendency, an antitorque
rotor or tail rotor is incorporated
into most helicopter designs. You
can vary the amount of thrust
produced by the tail rotor in
relation to the amount of torque
produced by the engine. As the
engine supplies more power, the
tail rotor must produce more
thrust. This is done through the
use of antitorque pedals.
 THE BASICS
Flight conditions
An important factor: Thrust- tail rotor

Other methods of compensating for torque and providing directional control

include the Fenestron® tail rotor system, an SUD Aviation design that employs
a ducted fan enclosed by a shroud. Another design, called NOTAR®, a Mc
Donald Douglas design with no tail rotor, employs air directed through a
series of slots in the tail boom, with the balance exiting through a 90o duct
located at the rear of the tail boom.
 THE BASICS
Flight conditions
2.Forward flight

In steady forward flight with no change

in airspeed or vertical speed, the four
forces of lift, thrust, drag, and weight
must be in balance. Once the tip-path
plane is tilted forward, the total lift-
thrust force is also tilted forward. This
resultant lift-thrust force can be
resolved into two components - lift
acting vertically upward and thrust
acting horizontally in the direction of
flight. In addition to lift and thrust,
there is weight (the downward acting
force) and drag (the force opposing the
motion of an airfoil through the air)

 THE BASICS
Flight conditions
3.Autorotation

Autorotation is the state of flight in which the main rotor system of a

helicopter is being turned by the action of air moving up through the rotor
rather than engine power driving the rotor. In normal, powered flight, air is
drawn into the main rotor system from above and exhausted downward,
but during autorotation, air moves up into the rotor system from below as
the helicopter descends.

 THE BASICS
Flight conditions
3.Autorotation

Autorotation is permitted
mechanically by a freewheeling
unit, which is a special clutch
mechanism that allows the
main rotor to continue turning
even if the engine is not
running. If the engine fails, the
freewheeling unit
automatically disengages the
engine from the main rotor
allowing the main rotor to
rotate freely. It is the means by
which a helicopter can be
landed in the event of an
engine failure