Effect of a Rapid Blade-Pitch Increase on the Thrust and Induced-Velocity Response of a Full-Scale Helicopter Rotor

A method has been proposed for predicting the effect of a rapid blade-pitch increase on the thrust and induced-velocity response of a helicopter rotor. General equations have been derived for the ensuing motion of the helicopter. These equations yield time histories of thrust, induced velocity, and helicopter vertical velocity for given rates of blade-pitch-angle changes and given rotor-angular-velocity time histories. The results of the method have been compared with experimental results obtained with a rotor mounted on the Langley helicopter test tower. The calculated and experimental results are in good agreement, although, in general, the calculated thrust-coefficient overshoots are about 10 percent greater than those obtained experimentally.