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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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Fig. 7.11 <strong>The</strong> VSI (vertical speed indicator) is a leaky barometer that responds to a rate <strong>of</strong> pressure change.<br />

At constant altitude <strong>the</strong> pressure in <strong>the</strong> instrument will be <strong>the</strong> same as ambient owing to <strong>the</strong> leak. In a climb,<br />

air will try to flow out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leak and <strong>the</strong> pressure across <strong>the</strong> orifice will be sensed to operate <strong>the</strong> display.<br />

7.8<strong>The</strong> vertical speed indicator<br />

As its name suggests, <strong>the</strong> vertical speed indicator (VSI) displays <strong>the</strong> rate at which altitude<br />

is changing. Whilst this can be established by looking at <strong>the</strong> speed with which <strong>the</strong> hand<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> altimeter turns, this takes some time and it is quicker to look at a separate display.<br />

Figure 7.11 shows how <strong>the</strong> VSI is constructed. <strong>The</strong> case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> instrument is connected<br />

to <strong>the</strong> static port <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> aircraft. <strong>The</strong> mechanism includes a thin metal capsule sealed<br />

except for a very small orifice <strong>of</strong> carefully determined size. Should <strong>the</strong> aircraft climb,<br />

ambient pressure will fall and <strong>the</strong> capsule will expand, moving a pointer across a scale.<br />

<strong>The</strong> reduced ambient pressure will cause <strong>the</strong> air inside <strong>the</strong> capsule to flow out, but <strong>the</strong><br />

flow is slowed down by <strong>the</strong> restriction. At constant altitude, <strong>the</strong> capsule will eventually<br />

have <strong>the</strong> same pressure inside and out, and <strong>the</strong> pointer will read zero. <strong>The</strong> faster <strong>the</strong><br />

ambient pressure changes <strong>the</strong> more <strong>the</strong> restriction opposes <strong>the</strong> balancing airflow and<br />

<strong>the</strong> greater <strong>the</strong> deflection <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pointer. As it is self-balancing <strong>the</strong> VSI needs no pilot<br />

adjustment and has no controls. <strong>The</strong> VSI is particularly useful in cruise where it should<br />

read zero. Any discrepancy indicates that <strong>the</strong> helicopter needs retrimming to fly at<br />

constant height.<br />

7.9 <strong>The</strong> airspeed indicator<br />

<strong>The</strong> airspeed indicator (ASI) is connected between <strong>the</strong> forward facing pitot head and <strong>the</strong><br />

static vents. This arrangement cancels ambient air pressure so that it measures only <strong>the</strong><br />

dynamic pressure due to forward flight. Dynamic pressure is proportional to air density<br />

and to <strong>the</strong> square <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> velocity. As a result <strong>the</strong> expansion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pressure-sensing capsule<br />

is proportional to <strong>the</strong> square <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> speed, and it is necessary to convert <strong>the</strong> square<br />

law response to drive a practical scale. Figure 7.12 shows that this can be done using a<br />

straight spring (a) whose effective stiffness increases with deflection. At low speeds <strong>the</strong><br />

whole length <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> spring is active (b) and <strong>the</strong> restoring force is relatively low. When<br />

<strong>the</strong> spring contacts a stop (c) <strong>the</strong> active length is reduced and <strong>the</strong> spring becomes stiffer.<br />

<strong>The</strong> system does not achieve complete linearity. Practical ASIs have decidedly nonlinear<br />

scales and <strong>the</strong> designer positions <strong>the</strong> stretched part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> scale at <strong>the</strong> most useful<br />

Control 275

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