Flight operations for higher harmonic control research.
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Authors
McGovern, James Joseph
Subjects
HHC
RPH
flight operations
vibrations
flight test
RPH
flight operations
vibrations
flight test
Advisors
Wood, E. Roberts
Date of Issue
1991-03
Date
March 1991
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
The Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Naval Postgraduate
School (NPS) is interested in extending the useful life of Naval helicopters.
Recognizing the need to reduce vibrations caused by aerodynamic loads on the rotor
system, a Higher Harmonic Control (HHC) research effort has begun. The test
vehicle of the HHC system is a Remotely Piloted Helicopter (RPH). This thesis
contains an overview of the NPS HHC research effort including basic helicopter
dynamics, HHC theory, and establishes research milestones. An RPH flight
operations program was developed that included the first flights of two out of three
RPH's being used in the research effort, identification of data and data acquisition
requirements, and initial hover vibration tests. The vibration tests produced data of
limited value. The two bladed RPH tested appears to produce peak accelerations
at roughly twice the main rotor speed. This indicates that like a full scale helicopter,
the largest vibrations do enter the airframe through the rotor system and are not a
result of engine vibrations. Hence, RPH's are suitable for HHC research. This
effort completed one portion of the long term HHC research and can lead to the
practical and safe testing of a fully functioning HHC system.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Aeronautics and Astronautics
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funding
Format
54 p.;28 cm.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.