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

that is not level in straight flight. If <strong>the</strong> slip indicator is installed vertically with respect<br />

to <strong>the</strong> hull, and if <strong>the</strong> machine is flown with <strong>the</strong> slip ball centred, <strong>the</strong> result may be<br />

sideslip, increased drag and a navigational problem because a side slipping machine is<br />

not going <strong>the</strong> way it is pointing. In addition, certain conditions <strong>of</strong> fuel level or loading<br />

may cause <strong>the</strong> CM <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> machine to be <strong>of</strong>fset to port or starboard <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> centreline.<br />

This will fur<strong>the</strong>r affect <strong>the</strong> slip gauge.<br />

7.16 Attitude sensing<br />

An autopilot needs to sense <strong>the</strong> attitude <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> helicopter in each axis being stabilized,<br />

and <strong>the</strong> rigidity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> gyroscope makes an excellent attitude reference. In some cases it<br />

is possible to use <strong>the</strong> existing vertical axis gyroscope in an artificial horizon to provide<br />

pitch and roll data for an autopilot. When this is done, in addition to driving <strong>the</strong> visual<br />

display <strong>the</strong> gyro contains encoders to provide electrical signals proportional to <strong>the</strong><br />

amount <strong>of</strong> pitch and roll.<br />

Where high accuracy is required, a separate gyro having no display but providing<br />

attitude signals only can be used. Clearly <strong>the</strong> location <strong>of</strong> such a device in <strong>the</strong> airframe<br />

is subject to a good deal <strong>of</strong> freedom. If an inertial navigator is carried, <strong>the</strong> inertial<br />

platform must be tied to <strong>the</strong> earth and so can act as a reference to provide attitude<br />

signals in all three axes. <strong>The</strong> attitude data may be sensed by synchro generator or by<br />

digital encoder, according to <strong>the</strong> signalling technology used.<br />

Automatic turn co-ordination in forward flight requires essentially a slip ball with an<br />

electrical output. This is <strong>the</strong> function <strong>of</strong> a device known as a dynamic vertical sensor.<br />

Figure 7.21 shows that it consists <strong>of</strong> a pendulum whose axis is fore and aft and which<br />

carries a transducer such as a synchro or o<strong>the</strong>r encoder. <strong>The</strong> pendulum will be damped<br />

against turbulence and vibration. In a correctly co-ordinated turn <strong>the</strong> pendulum will<br />

not move with respect to <strong>the</strong> sensor because <strong>the</strong> direction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> acceleration will be<br />

along <strong>the</strong> pendulum axis.<br />

An alternative to <strong>the</strong> dynamic vertical sensor is to use a vane-type sensor to measure<br />

<strong>the</strong> direction <strong>of</strong> motion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hull through <strong>the</strong> air.<br />

Fig. 7.21 <strong>The</strong> dynamic vertical sensor is essentially a slip indicator with an output signal. It consists <strong>of</strong> a<br />

damped pendulum having a transducer.

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