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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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

giving greater translational lift. This technique works well in a steep climb. <strong>The</strong> drag<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> broadside hull will be a problem as speed builds up. However, some advantage<br />

can still be gained by flying with sideslip; 15 ◦ is a typical figure. Some piston-engine<br />

tandems used as plane guards during carrier operations were operated in this way<br />

as standard procedure. In a twin-engine machine, sideslip operation may be used to<br />

handle one-engine-inoperative conditions. <strong>The</strong> direction <strong>of</strong> sideslip is important as <strong>the</strong><br />

downwash from <strong>the</strong> front rotor is not symmetrical.<br />

<strong>The</strong> tandem rotor market is one many manufacturers have stayed away from. In<br />

<strong>the</strong> UK, <strong>the</strong> most successful tandem was <strong>the</strong> Bristol Belvedere (Figure 9.25) designed<br />

by Raoul Hafner which started life mechanically as a pair <strong>of</strong> Sycamore mechanics<br />

with a synchronizing shaft and which subsequently evolved into a capable twin turbine.<br />

Yakovlev built a large tandem machine in <strong>the</strong> USSR but this was not successful.<br />

In <strong>the</strong> USA Bell built <strong>the</strong> HSL but it did not enter production. <strong>The</strong> name most closely<br />

associated with <strong>the</strong> tandem is that <strong>of</strong> Frank Piasecki whose early fragile canvas covered<br />

creations, dubbed ‘flying bananas’ from <strong>the</strong> bent hull needed for rotor clearance,<br />

matured into <strong>the</strong> enduring CH-46 and CH-47.<br />

<strong>The</strong> CH-46 is about as attractive as a tandem can get and when it was first built its<br />

good lifting capacity and amphibious capability made it a favourite with <strong>the</strong> US Navy<br />

who use it for vertical replenishment (VERTREP) which is military-speak for moving<br />

material from one ship to ano<strong>the</strong>r suspended below a helicopter. <strong>The</strong> army liked <strong>the</strong><br />

concept but wanted something with a bigger cabin and <strong>the</strong> CH-47 was born.<br />

<strong>The</strong> CH-47 Chinook is a superb piece <strong>of</strong> industrial design by any reference. <strong>The</strong><br />

basic design dates from 1961 and because it is fundamentally well founded it is simply<br />

upgraded from time to time. It is amazingly versatile and genuinely amphibious.<br />

In o<strong>the</strong>r words it can operate normally from water ra<strong>the</strong>r than just floating in an<br />

emergency. <strong>The</strong> absence <strong>of</strong> a tail rotor means that it can land in scrub.<br />

Fig. 9.25 <strong>The</strong> Bristol Belvedere was a twin turbine military machine that was successful in service despite<br />

frequent fires caused by its absurd engine starting system. (AugustaWestland)

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