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

Fig. 5.6 <strong>The</strong> pressure drop across a main rotor in forward flight causes a vortex system as shown. A high<br />

mounted tail rotor (a) operates in <strong>the</strong> converging area <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vortex system and will have good wea<strong>the</strong>r-cocking<br />

properties. A low-mounted tail rotor (b) may operate in a diverging area <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vortex system and be less<br />

effective.<br />

Fig. 5.7 (a) A high-mounted tail rotor applies a moment to <strong>the</strong> tail boom. (b) By canting <strong>the</strong> tail rotor, <strong>the</strong><br />

weight <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor and gearbox produces an opposing moment.<br />

a better option on a large machine, good examples being <strong>the</strong> Mi-26 and <strong>the</strong> Sikorsky<br />

CH-54 Skycrane.<br />

In some helicopters <strong>the</strong> tail rotor is mounted in an unusual way. <strong>The</strong> Sikorsky series<br />

S-65/Sea Stallion/Sea Dragon is one example. This is a very powerful machine having<br />

a high disc loading, three engines and a seven-bladed main rotor needing an equally<br />

powerful tail rotor on a cranked boom. Figure 5.7(a) shows that in a conventional<br />

installation <strong>the</strong> side thrust from <strong>the</strong> high mounted tail rotor puts <strong>the</strong> tail boom under<br />

torsional loading. By tilting over <strong>the</strong> fin and tail rotor as in (b), <strong>the</strong> weight <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

tail rotor assembly applies a torsional load in <strong>the</strong> opposite direction and <strong>the</strong> vertical<br />

component <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tail rotor thrust helps to carry <strong>the</strong> weight <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tail so that stress<br />

in <strong>the</strong> tail boom is reduced. <strong>The</strong> extra power consumed by <strong>the</strong> tail rotor is <strong>of</strong>fset by a<br />

slight reduction in main rotor power as <strong>the</strong> latter is no longer carrying <strong>the</strong> whole weight<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> machine.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Sikorsky Blackhawk also has a canted tail rotor, but for a different reason. In<br />

solving various contradictory requirements, this machine turned out with a rearward

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