There are three major controls in a helicopter that the pilot must use during flight. They are the collective pitch control, the cyclic pitch control, and the antitorque pedals or tail rotor control. In addition to these major controls, the pilot must also use the throttle control, which is usually mounted directly to the collective […]
Autorotation is the state of flight where the main rotor system of a helicopter is being turned by the action of air moving up through the rotor rather than engine power driving the rotor. In normal, powered flight, air is drawn into the main rotor system from above and exhausted downward, but during autorotation, air
Sideward Flight In sideward flight, the tip-path plane is tilted in the direction that flight is desired. This tilts the total lift-thrust vector sideward. In this case, the vertical or lift component is still straight up and weight straight down, but the horizontal or thrust component now acts sideward with drag acting to the opposite
Helicopter Sideward, Rearward and Turning Flight Read Post »
In steady forward flight, with no change in airspeed or vertical speed, the four forces of lift, thrust, drag, and weight must be in balance. Once the tip-path plane is tilted forward, the total lift-thrust force is also tilted forward. This resultant lift-thrust force can be resolved into two components—lift acting vertically upward and thrust
Hovering is the most challenging part of flying a helicopter. This is because a helicopter generates its own gusty air while in a hover, which acts against the fuselage and flight control surfaces. The end result is constant control inputs and corrections by the pilot to keep the helicopter where it is required to be.
Relative Wind Knowledge of relative wind is essential for an understanding of aerodynamics and its practical flight application for the pilot. Relative wind is airflow relative to an airfoil. Movement of an airfoil through the air creates relative wind. Relative wind moves in a parallel but opposite direction to movement of the airfoil. [Figure 1]
Helicopters are able to fly due to aerodynamic forces produced when air passes around the airfoil. An airfoil is any surface producing more lift than drag when passing through the air at a suitable angle. Airfoils are most often associated with production of lift. Airfoils are also used for stability (fin), control (elevator), and thrust
Once a helicopter leaves the ground, it is acted upon by four aerodynamic forces; thrust, drag, lift, and weight. Understanding how these forces work and knowing how to control them with the use of power and flight controls are essential to flight. [Figure 1] Figure 1. Four forces acting on a helicopter They are defined
There are two basic flight conditions for a helicopter—hover and forward flight. Hovering is the most challenging part of flying a helicopter. This is because a helicopter generates its own gusty air while in a hover, which acts against the fuselage and flight control surfaces. The end result is constant control inputs and corrections by
A helicopter has four primary flight controls: Cyclic Collective Antitorque pedals Throttle Cyclic The cyclic control is usually located between the pilot’s legs and is commonly called the “cyclic stick” or simply “cyclic.” On most helicopters, the cyclic is similar to a joystick; however, Robinson helicopters have unique T-bar cyclic control systems. A few helicopters
