Hfh01 Introduction
Hfh01 Introduction
Hfh01 Introduction
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As an aircraft, the primary advantages of the helicopter are
due to the rotor blades that revolve through the air, providing
lift without requiring the aircraft to move forward. This lift
allows the helicopter to hover in one area and to take off
and land vertically without the need for runways. For this
reason, helicopters are often used in congested or isolated
areas where fixed-wing aircraft are not able to take off or
land. [Figures 1-1 and 1-2]
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Uses
Rotor System
Due to the unique operating characteristics of the helicopter—
its ability to take off and land vertically, to hover for extended The helicopter rotor system is the rotating part of a
periods of time, and the aircraft’s handling properties under helicopter that generates lift. A rotor system may be mounted
low airspeed conditions—it has been chosen to conduct tasks horizontally, as main rotors are, providing lift vertically; and
that were previously not possible with other aircraft or were it may be mounted vertically, such as a tail rotor, to provide
too time- or work-intensive to accomplish on the ground. lift horizontally as thrust to counteract torque effect. In the
Today, helicopters are used for transportation, construction, case of tilt rotors, the rotor is mounted on a nacelle that
firefighting, search and rescue, and a variety of other jobs rotates at the edge of the wing to transition the rotor from a
that require its special capabilities. [Figure 1-3] horizontal mounted position, providing lift horizontally as
thrust, to a vertical mounted position providing lift exactly
as a helicopter.
The rotor consists of a mast, hub, and rotor blades. [Figure 1-4]
The mast is a hollow cylindrical metal shaft which extends
upwards from and is driven by the transmission. At the top
of the mast is the attachment point for the rotor blades called
the hub. The rotor blades are then attached to the hub by
several different methods. Main rotor systems are classified
according to how the main rotor blades are attached and
move relative to the main rotor hub. There are three basic
classifications: semirigid, rigid, or fully articulated, although
some modern rotor systems use an engineered combination
of these types. All three rotor systems are discussed with
greater detail in Chapter 4, Helicopter Components, Sections,
and Systems.
Figure 1-3. The many uses for a helicopter include search and rescue
(top), firefighting (middle), and construction (bottom). Figure 1-4. Basic components of the rotor system.
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Rotor Configurations
Most helicopters have a single, main rotor but require a
separate rotor to overcome torque which is a turning or
twisting force. This is accomplished through a variable
pitch, antitorque rotor or tail rotor. This is the design that
Igor Sikorsky settled on for his VS-300 helicopter shown
in Figure 1-5. It has become the recognized convention for
helicopter design, although designs do vary. Helicopter main
rotor designs from different manufacturers rotate in one of
two different directions (clockwise or counter-clockwise
when viewed from above). This can make it confusing when
discussing aerodynamic effects on the main rotor between
different designs, since the effects may manifest on opposite
sides of each aircraft. For clarity, throughout this handbook,
all examples use a counter-clockwise rotating main rotor Figure 1-6. Tandem rotor helicopters.
system when viewed from above.
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powered from the main transmission and a gearbox mounted
at the end of the tail boom. [Figure 1-9] The drive shaft may
consist of one long shaft or a series of shorter shafts connected
at both ends with flexible couplings. The flexible couplings
allow the drive shaft to flex with the tail boom.
The control is called the cyclic because it can vary the pitch
of the rotor blades throughout each revolution of the main
rotor system (i.e., through each cycle of rotation) to develop
unequal lift (thrust). The result is to tilt the rotor disk in a
Tail rotor shaft
particular direction, resulting in the helicopter moving in that
direction. If the pilot pushes the cyclic forward, the rotor disk
tilts forward, and the rotor produces a thrust in the forward
Pitch change links
direction. If the pilot pushes the cyclic to the side, the rotor
Cross Head disk tilts to that side and produces thrust in that direction,
causing the helicopter to hover sideways. [Figure 1-10]
Collective
The collective pitch control, or collective, is located on the
left side of the pilot’s seat with a pilot-selected variable
friction control to prevent inadvertent movement. The
collective changes the pitch angle of all the main rotor blades
Figure 1-9. Basic tail rotor components.
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The throttle controls the power produced by the engine, which
is connected to the rotor by a transmission. The purpose of
the throttle is to maintain enough engine power to keep the
rotor rpm within allowable limits to produce enough lift for
Swash plate
flight. In single-engine helicopters, if so equipped, the throttle
control is typically a twist grip mounted on the collective
control, but it can also be a lever mechanism in fully
governed systems. Multi-engine helicopters generally have
a power lever or mode switch for each engine. [Figure 1-11]
Helicopter flight controls are discussed in greater detail
throughout Chapter 4, Helicopter Components, Sections
and Systems.
Flight Conditions
There are two basic flight conditions for a helicopter: hover
Figure 1-10. Cyclic controls changing the pitch of the rotor blades. and forward flight. Hovering is the most challenging part of
flying a helicopter. This is because a helicopter generates
its own gusty air while in a hover, which acts against the
collectively (i.e., all at the same time) and independently of
fuselage and flight control surfaces. The end result is the
their positions. Therefore, if a collective input is made, all
need for constant control inputs and corrections by the pilot
the blades change equally, increasing or decreasing total
to keep the helicopter where it is required to be. Despite
lift or thrust, with the result of the helicopter increasing or
the complexity of the task, the control inputs in a hover are
decreasing in altitude or airspeed.
simple. The cyclic is used to eliminate drift in the horizontal
direction that is to control forward and back, right and left.
Antitorque Pedals
The collective is used to maintain altitude. The pedals are
The antitorque pedals are located in the same position as the
used to control nose direction or heading. It is the interaction
rudder pedals in a fixed-wing aircraft and serve a similar
of these controls that makes hovering so difficult, since an
purpose, namely to control the direction in which the nose
adjustment in any one control requires an adjustment of the
of the aircraft is pointed. Application of the pedal in a given
other two, creating a cycle of constant correction.
direction changes the pitch of the tail rotor blades, increasing
or reducing the thrust produced by the tail rotor, causing the
Displacing the cyclic forward initially causes the nose to
nose to yaw in the direction of the applied pedal. The pedals
pitch down, with a resultant increase in airspeed and loss
mechanically change the pitch of the tail rotor, altering the
of altitude. Aft cyclic initially causes the nose to pitch up,
amount of thrust produced.
slowing the helicopter and causing it to climb; however, as
the helicopter reaches a state of equilibrium, the horizontal
Throttle
stabilizer helps level the helicopter to minimize drag, unlike
Helicopter rotors are designed to operate at a specific rpm.
50
30 70
5 100
85
Horizontal stabilizer
Throttle linkage
Throttle cable
Collective control
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an airplane. [Figure 1-12] Therefore, the helicopter has
very little pitch deflection up or down when the helicopter
is stable in a flight mode. The variation from absolutely
level depends on the particular helicopter and the horizontal
stabilizer function.
Increasing collective (power) while maintaining a constant
airspeed induces a climb while decreasing collective causes
a descent. Coordinating these two inputs, down collective
plus aft cyclic or up collective plus forward cyclic, results
in airspeed changes while maintaining a constant altitude.
Chapter Summary
This chapter gives the reader an overview of the history
of the helicopter, its many uses, and how it has developed
throughout the years. The chapter also introduces basic terms
and explanations of the helicopter components, sections, and
the theory behind how the helicopter flies.
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