Hingeless Rotorcraft Flight Dynamics

Abstract : The state of hingless rotorcraft research and development in the NATO countries as of 1973 is described. The scope of this report is limited to flight dynamics (as defined in the Preface) since most of the hingeless rotorcraft problems have occurred in this area. In the Introduction, the special place of the hingeless rotorcraft within the family of rotorcraft is considered. The chapter on the history of hingeless rotorcraft describes the hingeless rotor research and development of the various rotorcraft manufacturers and the hingless rotor research at government laboratories and universities. A hierarchy of dynamic concepts from isolated blade dynamics to complete rotor/ body dynamics is introduced. The effects of the basic rotor design parameters on flight dynamics are traced and certain hingeless rotorcraft problems are treated in some detail. A special chapter is devoted to the alleviation of hingeless rotor flight-dynamics problems by feedback control systems. Finaly, analytical modeling techniques, mathematical analysis techniques, and model and flight testing techniques for hingeless rotorcraft are discussed.