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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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

with a signal processor which knows what <strong>the</strong> normal sounds, or signature, from <strong>the</strong><br />

part are, can give vital warning <strong>of</strong> a potential problem.<br />

<strong>The</strong> life <strong>of</strong> a component may be reduced if it is subjected to higher stress. Modern<br />

electronic systems (HUMS: Health and Usage Monitoring Systems) can measure stress<br />

and <strong>the</strong> time for which it has been applied in order to calculate <strong>the</strong> safe remaining life<br />

in major components.<br />

Much fundamental research into helicopters was done using models. De la Cierva’s<br />

early work was with free flying model gyroplanes. <strong>Art</strong>hur Young used models extensively<br />

(Figure 1.9) and it was his demonstration <strong>of</strong> a model controlled by a trailing<br />

wire that convinced Larry Bell to enter <strong>the</strong> helicopter business. Irven Culver at Lockheed<br />

built what was probably <strong>the</strong> world’s first radio-controlled model helicopter in <strong>the</strong><br />

late 1950s.<br />

Advances in radio control equipment in <strong>the</strong> 1960s made <strong>the</strong> necessary precision<br />

available at reasonable cost and this led to <strong>the</strong> availability <strong>of</strong> flying model helicopters<br />

Fig. 1.9 <strong>Art</strong>hur Young flies a wire-controlled model helicopter.Young was a philosopher who argued that<br />

designing a helicopter would teach him how to think.He was right.(Bell <strong>Helicopter</strong> Textron)

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