Blade flapping

dynamics with
fuselage translation
and rotation

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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Recap: Flapping eq. of motion when
the helicopter has a body rate q, hover

      2   2q sin   q cos    2   4i 

8 8 8  3 
coriolis effect aerodyn. effect as a
aerodyn. effect as a
result of q
result of lift

Transforming to steady-state motion

  a0  a1 cos  b1 sin
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Flapping motion in the non-rotating
system when the helicopter has a body
rate q – hovering helicopter
  4i 
a0     coning
8 3 

16 q
a1   longitudinal tilt
 
q
b1   lateral tilt

Conclusion:
Flapping motion damps the fuselage motion!!!
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Flapping motion when the fuselage is
rotating and translating (V, q)

Extra effect
of V on a1

c - angle of attack of the

control plane
f = - f fuselage tilt

   2   2q sin  M / I

a bl Ma = ?
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Velocities of the blade when the
helicopter translates and rotates (V,q)
V sin  c  vi  r  qr cos  V cos  c cos sin 
  
r  V cos  c sin

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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Interpretation of the aerodynamic
flapping moment contribution (helicopter
in forward flight)
Excitation
r
R

 r 2 cdr
1 M a   Lr
    L  Cl 
r  V cos  c sin 2 0
Aerodynamic forces have the
character of a damping term in
the flapping equation. Compared
to hover, in forward flight this
term is time dependent through 

However, averaged over one revolution the mean damping is the same as
in the hovering case
In forward flight the dominating excitation of the
blade flapping is the asymmetry of the flow
encountered by a blade
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Aerodynamic flapping moment for
the helicopter in forward flight
V sin  c  vi  r  qr cos   V cos  c cos
  
r  V cos  c sin
R
M a   Cl   r  V cos  c sin  cdr  r
1 2

0 2
V cos  c V sin  c
Non-dimensional
 c  i 
vi
notations
R R R

 
 2 (1   2
) 
4
c  i   sin  (...)  cos (...)  sin 2 (...)  cos 2 (...) 
M a / I bl    3  
8    4 cos   sin 2    1  4  sin  
 3   3  
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
Flapping equation of motion when
the helicopter translates and
rotates (V,q)
   4     2 
   1   sin     1   cos   sin 2  
2

8  3   6 8 
Aero damping Centrifugal spring + Aero spring

   8 
2q sin    (1   )   (c  i )    sin    2(c  i ) 
2 2 2 2

8 6 8 3 

 q  2 q  2 2
  2
cos    sin 2    cos 2
8  12  8
Excitation function of (, c, i, , q)
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Conclusion on the flapping motion
in forward flight
 2nd order linear differential equation with variable coeffs.

 excitation in 1-P and 2-P

 periodic equation with periodic frequency => Floquet

theory
 even with positive damping in the system, there is a
possibility for instability

 frequency of excitation ~ natural frequency

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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
Transformation to the nonrotating
system

  a0  a1 cos  b1 sin

Substitute this in the flapping equation in rotating system from slide 8

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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Disc tilt motion Fuselage translation and
rotation
CONING
Coning angle:
 
a0   (1   2
) 
4
i   
c 
8 3 

Longitudinal disc tilt:

LONGITUDINAL TILT The rotor cone is blowing backward
   2  c  i 
16 q 8

=180 =0   3
a1 
1  1 / 2 2
fct (  , c , i ,  , q / )
a1>0 cone tilting back

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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
 Disc tilt motion Fuselage translation and
rotation

LATERAL TILT Lateral disc tilt

The rotor cone is tilting to
=270 =90 q 4
the right
  a0
b1   3 2
1  1 / 2
b1>0 cone tilting to the right

In reality lateral tilt is strongly influenced by the non-uniformity of the

induced velocity=> an extra term K’ is added to lateral disc tilt
q 4
   a0 1.33  /  c  i 

b1   3 2  K'
K ' i

1  1/ 2  1  1/ 2  2 1.2   /  c  i 

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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
Summing up: Flapping motion in rotating system
   2   M a / I
1. No Fuselage motion (only aerodynamic excitation)
- Hovering: T.P.P.
   4  
          i 
2 2
a0
8 8  3 
- Hovering + vertical gust:
   4  M
     2    2   i   a cos t
8 8  3  I
T.P.P.
2. Fuselage rotating with pitch rate q a0, a1, b0
    4 
     2   2q sin t  q cos t   2   i 
8 8 8  3 
coriolis effect aerodyn. effect as a aerodyn. effect as a
result of q result of lift

3. Fuselage rotating and translating (V,q)

  4     
   1   sin    2  1   cos   2 sin 2  
8  3   6 8  14
.... sin ... AE4-314
Rotorcraft Mechanics cos ... sin 2 ... cos 2 ... 14 14
 Summing up: Flapping
motion in non-rotating
system- a1
1. No Fuselage motion
  4i 
a1  0 a0 
8  
3 
b1  0

2. Fuselage rotation
16 q
a1   Backward tilt
 
Flapping is damping
  4  q
a0    i  b1   the fuselage motion (is
8 3   stabilizing the motion)
3. Fuselage rotation and translation

   2  c  i 
16 q 8

  3
a1 
1  1 / 2 2
Flapping is increasing the Backward tilt 15
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Rotorcraft Mechanics AE4-314
nose-up fuselage pitch (is (Backward blowing)
destabilizing the motion)