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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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path axis and <strong>the</strong> flybar axis diverge, which must result in cyclic fea<strong>the</strong>ring. This will<br />

counter <strong>the</strong> disturbance and restore <strong>the</strong> attitude <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> disc. <strong>The</strong> resultant helicopter is<br />

very stable because <strong>the</strong> action <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flybar resists disturbances to <strong>the</strong> disc attitude.<br />

<strong>The</strong> action <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flybar when <strong>the</strong> cyclic control is applied is also beneficial. <strong>The</strong><br />

mixing levers also allow <strong>the</strong> flybar to oppose <strong>the</strong> cyclic input from <strong>the</strong> swashplate. If<br />

<strong>the</strong> swashplate is tilted to initiate a roll, <strong>the</strong> blades will cyclically be fea<strong>the</strong>red through<br />

<strong>the</strong> mixing levers and <strong>the</strong> roll will commence. However, <strong>the</strong> flybar is measuring <strong>the</strong><br />

roll rate, and <strong>the</strong> flybar axis will diverge from <strong>the</strong> shaft axis. In fact <strong>the</strong> flybar axis<br />

lags behind <strong>the</strong> shaft axis. This divergence applies an opposite fea<strong>the</strong>ring action to <strong>the</strong><br />

swashplate.<br />

For a given application <strong>of</strong> cyclic control, <strong>the</strong> blade cyclic fea<strong>the</strong>ring will be nulled for<br />

a given angle <strong>of</strong> divergence between <strong>the</strong> flybar axis and <strong>the</strong> mast axis. As this divergence<br />

is proportional to <strong>the</strong> roll rate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> helicopter, it follows that <strong>the</strong> roll rate actually<br />

achieved is proportional to <strong>the</strong> swashplate tilt. Thus <strong>the</strong> rotor system is turned into<br />

a rate control whose following rate is determined by <strong>the</strong> inertia <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flybar and <strong>the</strong><br />

viscosity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dampers. As <strong>the</strong> flybar axis can only roll slowly, <strong>the</strong> following rate <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

rotor to <strong>the</strong> cyclic controls is reduced, giving <strong>the</strong> effect <strong>of</strong> a heavier rotor but without<br />

<strong>the</strong> actual mass.<br />

<strong>The</strong> response <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rotor can be adjusted by changing <strong>the</strong> degree <strong>of</strong> damping. If <strong>the</strong><br />

dampers are made more viscous, <strong>the</strong> following rate increases because <strong>the</strong> flybar is more<br />

powerfully tied to <strong>the</strong> shaft axis.<br />

<strong>The</strong> action <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flybar can be analysed by treating it as a servo. Figure 7.44 shows<br />

that <strong>the</strong> swashplate supplies <strong>the</strong> desired roll rate, and <strong>the</strong> flybar measures <strong>the</strong> actual<br />

Fig. 7.44 <strong>The</strong> Bell flybar acts like a servo, adjusting cyclic pitch to obtain <strong>the</strong> desired roll rate. If <strong>the</strong> flybar is<br />

tilted with respect to <strong>the</strong> mast, <strong>the</strong> dampers will gradually bring it back into alignment. <strong>The</strong> rate <strong>of</strong> response to<br />

<strong>the</strong> controls is proportional to <strong>the</strong> degree <strong>of</strong> damping.<br />

Control 307

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