Course details

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Helicopters

Teaching: Partially in English - lessons & excercies held in Croatian, materials & exam in English

ECTS: 5

Level: Graduate

Semester: Summer

Prerequisites:

Competitions for the enrolement of this course are: understanding of theory of aerodynamics (including propeller aerodynamics); understanding of basics of flight mechanics; competence in Matlab programming tool

Load:

Lectures	Exercises	Laboratory exercises	Project laboratory	Physical education excercises	Field exercises	Seminar	Design exercises	Practicum
30		20	0	0	0	10	0	0

Course objectives:

Course defines basics of aerodynamics and flight mechanics and structures of helicopter. The objective of the course is presentation of the application of theory of disc actuator and theory of blade element for helicopter rotor, in vertical and in horizontal flight. Dynamics of the rotor with rigid blades is described under the flapping motion and implementation of control of the rotor and helicopter as a whole. Equations of the steady state flight for helicopter are presented as well as elementary performances. Course objective is to get insight into helicopters structures, aircraft technologies, materials and fundamental principles of helicopter maintenance. Lectures are accompanied with seminars on practical topics and with exercises and examples with computer programs in Matlab.

Student responsibilities:

Attending the lectures, seminars and exercises; participation in the on-line course; work with computer tool Matlab; participation with homework and seminar with application of Matlab.

Grading and evaluation of student work over the course of instruction and at a final exam:

seminar paper: 50% oral exam: 50%

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to (learning outcomes):

1 . Analyze helicopter rotor aerodynamics in vertical and horizontal flight with the application of extended actuator disc theory and blade element theory.

2 . Combine rotor dynamics (flapping) and helicopter rotor control.

3 . Analyze airspeed components on blade in horizontal flight for the application of blade element theory.

4 . Estimate required power for helicopter in hover regime and horizontal flight.

5 . Examine optimal regimes of helicopter flight, like maximum climb speed regime, maximum range or maximum range in autorotation.

6 . Identify specific structure elements and groups of helicopter.

7 . Evaluate different helicopter structure types.

Lectures

1. Basic helicopter configurations, characteristic aerodynamic phenomena; Actuator disc (momentum theory) for vertical flight.

2. Expanded actuator disc theory for vertical flight.

3. Blade element theory for vertical flight.

4. Combined blade element and actuator disc theory.

5. Rotor dynamics: equilibrium in flapping hinge.

6. Rotor dynamics: rotor control.

7. Actuator disc theory for horizontal flight.

8. Blade element theory for horizontal flight. Rotor inflow models.

9. Equations of steady state flight.

10. Helicopter performance.

11. Helicopter structure. Overview of helicopter structure development throughout history. Helicopter construction versions.

12. Loads on helicopter structures.

13. Fundamentals of strength analysis of helicopter structures.

14. Helicopter drive system.

15. Maintenance of helicopters.

Exercises

1. Example of application of actuator disc theory for vertical flight.

2. Example of application of expanded actuator disc theory for vertical flight.

3. Calculation of required power for helicopter in hover.

4. Seminar: Helicopter history.

5. Seminar: Flight theory - pilot"s point of view - upravljanje helikopterom.

6. Seminar: Emergency procedure and autorotation.

7. Seminar: Example of application of blade element theory for horizontal flight.

8. Calculation of the required power for helicopter in horizontal flight.

9. Seminar: Helicopter practical performance.

10. Calculation of basic helicopter performance

11. Main components of helicopter structures. Rotor head - components.

12. Gyroscopic precession. Coriolis effect.

13. Seminar: Fatigue loads and fatigue life analysis of helicopter rotor blades.

14. Characteristics of helicopter drive systems: Jet engines. Piston engines.

15. Scheduled checks. Visit to a maintenance company. ---

Compulsory literature:

2. Elementary aerodynamics and flight mechanics of helicopters - internal script, Milan Vrdoljak, Fakultet strojarstva i brodogradnje, 2017, p. 1-78

1. Helicopter structures - internal script, Željko Božić , Fakultet strojarstva i brodogradnje, Sveučilište u Zagrebu, 2010, p. 1-89

Recommended literature:

3. Basic helicopter aerodynamics, 3rd ed., Seddon, J.M., Newman, S., Wiley, 2011, p. 1-288