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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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

(a) (b)<br />

(c)<br />

Fig. 5.2 (a) <strong>The</strong> force from <strong>the</strong> tail rotor cannot cancel a couple. In practice <strong>the</strong> main rotor is tilted so that a<br />

horizontal component <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> main rotor thrust exists. When this is exactly equal to <strong>the</strong> tail rotor thrust a pure<br />

couple has been created. If this is equal to <strong>the</strong> torque reaction due to driving <strong>the</strong> main rotor <strong>the</strong> helicopter will<br />

not yaw. (b) If <strong>the</strong> tail rotor is not at <strong>the</strong> same height as <strong>the</strong> rotor head <strong>the</strong>re will be a rolling couple. (c) If<br />

<strong>the</strong> tail rotor is aligned with <strong>the</strong> vertical location <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> helicopter’s CM, <strong>the</strong> tail rotor roll couple is exactly<br />

balanced by <strong>the</strong> horizontally <strong>of</strong>fset CM so that <strong>the</strong> main rotor does not tilt with respect to <strong>the</strong> hull. With all o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

configurations <strong>the</strong> hull and <strong>the</strong> main rotor will have different attitudes.<br />

<strong>the</strong>re can be no rolling couple from <strong>the</strong> head. In all o<strong>the</strong>r cases <strong>the</strong> shaft and tip path<br />

axes are different and so <strong>the</strong> type <strong>of</strong> rotor head becomes significant.<br />

As was seen in Chapter 4, <strong>the</strong> zero-<strong>of</strong>fset rotor head is effectively a universal joint<br />

that allows <strong>the</strong> hull to hang straight down. O<strong>the</strong>r rotor heads are stiffer and <strong>the</strong> hull<br />

will hang at whatever angle causes all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> couples to cancel one ano<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

If <strong>the</strong> helicopter has a zero-<strong>of</strong>fset rotor, and <strong>the</strong> tail rotor is in <strong>the</strong> plane <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor<br />

hub, <strong>the</strong> fuselage will hang so that <strong>the</strong> CM is vertically below <strong>the</strong> rotor head. This will<br />

result in a laterally level cabin, assuming <strong>the</strong>re is no payload asymmetry.

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