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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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146 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Helicopter</strong><br />

Fig. 4.26 Out-<strong>of</strong>-pattern blades shift <strong>the</strong> CM <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor and whirl <strong>the</strong> top <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mast.<br />

Figure 4.27(c) shows <strong>the</strong> same situation except that <strong>the</strong> phase relationship is −120 ◦ .<br />

<strong>The</strong> hub is still moving in a circle, but in <strong>the</strong> opposite direction. <strong>The</strong>re is a strong<br />

analogy here with <strong>the</strong> three-phase electric motor that can be reversed by changing any<br />

two connections. This circular motion is known as whirling and it may be forward, in<br />

<strong>the</strong> same direction as <strong>the</strong> rotor, or backward, in <strong>the</strong> opposite sense to rotor direction.<br />

Figure 4.27(d) shows <strong>the</strong> case where one blade is not dragging, but <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r two are<br />

dragging at 180 ◦ . Now <strong>the</strong> hub motion is linear.<br />

If <strong>the</strong> effects <strong>of</strong> Figure 4.27 are considered in a non-rotating frame <strong>of</strong> reference,<br />

(a) will have no effect. Effect (b) causes circular whirling at a frequency which is <strong>the</strong><br />

sum <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor frequency and <strong>the</strong> dragging resonant frequency, whereas (c) will result<br />

in circular whirling at a frequency which is given by <strong>the</strong> rotor frequency minus <strong>the</strong><br />

dragging frequency. <strong>The</strong> whirling frequency seen by <strong>the</strong> hull has been modified by<br />

<strong>the</strong> addition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor frequency. If <strong>the</strong> whirling experienced by <strong>the</strong> hull is in <strong>the</strong><br />

same direction as <strong>the</strong> rotor turns, it is said to be progressive. If it is in <strong>the</strong> opposite<br />

sense it is said to be regressive. <strong>The</strong> whirling orbit is reminiscent <strong>of</strong> some types <strong>of</strong> food<br />

mixer. A mild form <strong>of</strong> such an orbit is usually experienced during rotor starting with<br />

an articulated rotor and is called ‘padding’ by pilots.<br />

In a real helicopter <strong>the</strong>se whirling forces are applied to <strong>the</strong> top <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mast. <strong>The</strong> CM<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hull is well below <strong>the</strong> rotor head, and <strong>the</strong> result is a combination <strong>of</strong> pitching and<br />

lateral rocking. <strong>The</strong> moment <strong>of</strong> inertia <strong>of</strong> a helicopter about <strong>the</strong> pitching axis is quite<br />

high owing to <strong>the</strong> long tail boom, but <strong>the</strong>re is less inertia about <strong>the</strong> roll axis, so generally<br />

lateral movement will dominate. <strong>The</strong> hull will not be infinitely stiff and may also be<br />

supported on a sprung undercarriage, and so it will have natural resonant frequencies<br />

<strong>of</strong> rocking.

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