• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.641-650
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• 2017

In order to include the design capability for a compound rotorcraft in a helicopter conceptual design and optimization framework, relevant further improvement was planned and conducted. Previously, a certain conceptual design optimization framework was developed by the present authors to design a modern rotorcraft with single main and tail rotor. The previously developed framework was further improved to expand its capability for a compound rotorcraft. Specifically, its power estimation algorithm was upgraded by using a comprehensive rotorcraft analysis program, CAMRAD II. The presently improved conceptual design and optimization framework was validated using data of the XH-59A aircraft.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2020

This study investigates the performance and blade airloads for a rigid coaxial rotor of high-speed compound unmanned rotorcrafts. The present compound unmanned rotorcraft uses not only a rigid coaxial rotor, but also wings and propellers for high-speed flights. For the rigid coaxial rotor in this work, CAMRAD II, a rotorcraft comprehensive analysis code, is used to study the performance at a flight speed of up to 250 knots and blade section lift forces at 230 knots. As the flight speed increases, the rotor power decreases; however, the power of propellers increases to overcome the drag force of a rotorcraft in high-speed flight. The effective lift-to-drag ratio of a rotor has the maximum value of about 11.6 which is much higher than the value of the conventional helicopter. The blade section lift forces of the upper and lower rotors at 230 knots show the similar variation trends for one rotor revolution, and the impulses because of the aerodynamic interaction between both rotors are observed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aviation and Aeronautics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.60-67
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• 2014

Technical history of VTOL aircraft is examined from the early helicopter appearance to recent experimental rotorcraft in order to distinguish the core issues of those aircraft. Performance and technological challenges of some VTOL aircraft such as tilt rotor, convertiplane, gyroplane, and coaxial helicopter are discussed. As a new generation high performance rotorcraft, Sikorsky X2 is intensively investigated. Considering the developmental history of X2, the autorotational ability at high speed is recognized as a core technology. Analytic method of autorotation and some results are shown and presents research subjects related to the future Korean high performance rotorcraft.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.671-680
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• 2020

This paper describes an improved beam analysis for compound rotorcraft fuselage design. The present beam approach is capable of analyzing fuselage composed of stiffeners using equivalent layer methodology. Thickness of the skin and laminated layer approach are suggested based on the unified beam formulation. The analysis which considers an equivalent stiffener layer is performed for a fuselage with stiffeners and preliminary study about the specification of stiffeners is conducted and compared by the results using the existing software.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.255-263
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• 2021

This paper investigates numerically the effect of rotor hub vibratory load components on the airframe vibration responses of high-speed compound unmanned rotorcraft (HCUR) using a lift-offset coaxial rotor, wings, and two propellers. The rotor hub vibratory loads are predicted using a rotorcraft comprehensive analysis code, CAMRAD II, and the airframe vibration responses are calculated by a finite element analysis software, MSC.NASTRAN. It is shown that the vibratory hub pitch moment of a lift-offset coaxial rotor is the most dominant component for both the longitudinal and vertical vibration responses at four specified locations of the airframe.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.46 no.8
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• pp.679-686
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• 2018

In previous paper[1], the authors had compared the current status of European and US rotorcraft development status. In this paper, more detailed procedures have been studied how the European rotorcraft technologies are developed preparing for 21 st century to be more competitive to US. For the systematic procedure to develop next generation aviation technologies including rotorcraft, the pan-European organization, ACARE, was established, and proposed major research agenda for next generation aviation technologies and businesses. Based on the proposed research agenda, all the R&D programs supported by EU are reorganized to be more efficient and competitive. The procedures for the rotorcraft technologies are, first, cabin noise/vibration reduction program (FRIENDCOPTER), second, core technologies to increase of rotor efficiencies and reduce rotor noise (GRC), and then finally to develop fast/long-range next generation rotorcraft (Fast Rotorcraft). As mentioned in previously, all the R&D procedure has to satisfy basic research agenda especially the environmental impact. With theses procedure, the European rotorcraft business had successful achievements not only in current and future market share, but also preparing for next generation rotorcraft platform such as compound and tilt-rotor rotorcraft satisfying market needs.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.154-164
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• 2017

This work conducts a validation study for the XH-59A helicopter using a rigid coaxial rotor system in order to establish the techniques of the conceptual design and performance analysis for the lift-offset compound rotorcraft. As a tool for conceptual design and performance analysis, NDARC (NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft) is used for the present study. An assumed mission profile is considered for the conceptual design of the XH-59A. As a validation result of the design, the dimensions and weight of the XH-59A are appropriately designed when compared to the target values since the relative error is less than 0.5%. Then, performance analyses are conducted for the designed XH-59A model with and without auxiliary propulsion in hover and forward flight conditions. The present analyses show good validity since the prediction results compare well with both the flight test and previous analyses. Therefore, the techniques for the conceptual design and performance analysis of the lift-offset compound helicopter are overall considered to be appropriately established. In addition, this study investigates the influence of the lift-offset on the rotor effective lift-to-drag ratio of the XH-59A helicopter with auxiliary propulsion. As a result, the improvement of the rotor effective lift-to-drag ratio can be obtained by appropriately increasing the lift-offset in high-speed flight.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2018

Increasing cruise speed is an important issue for the development of the next generation rotorcraft. Among several concepts proposed by previous research, the rotorcraft with ducted fan demonstrates its possibility of high-speed flight. In this study, numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the aerodynamic and flow characteristics of multi-ducted fan in forward flight. The aerodynamic efficiency around front ducted fan is determined by interaction between free-stream velocity and the induced velocity. While flow characteristics of rear ducted fan are dominantly influenced by the front ducted fan. Separation in the front ducted fan occurs faster than that of rear ducted fan, and the separation at duct inlet induces an increase of fan thrust. As a result of interaction effect between each ducted fan, relatively aligned inflow enters to the rear ducted fan. Therefore, thrust of the rear fan is decreased steadily before separation, and sudden changes of thrust in fans occur simultaneously. Due to the pressure decrease on lower surface, the normal force of rotorcraft is reduced with forward speed.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.30-36
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• 2018

In this study, a small-scaled test system for a tip jet rotor was developed to contribute to the research on unmanned compound rotorcraft. The performance and dynamic characteristics of the tip jet rotor were investigated using the test system. The diameter of the tip jet rotor was set to 2m in consideration of the size of the test site and the pneumatic supply capacity of the. The rotating speed of the rotor was controlled by the pressure of the compressed air. The thrust and forces during the rotor rotation were measured using a load measuring device. A hydraulic actuator was installed for the dynamic test and full-bridge strain gages were attached to the root of each blade to measure the flap, lag, and torsion-wise responses generated when the rotor is excited by the actuator. The performance and dynamic characteristic tests were conducted at various rotor speeds and blade pitches. In order to check the validity of the test results, the results were also compared with the CAMRAD II analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2021

The authors had presented two previous papers[1,2] on Helicopter/Rotorcraft develoment in Europe and US. Meanwhile, the next generation rotorcrafts, currently under development in US and Europe, have new configurations (tilt-rotor, coaxial, compound) of rotor-type vertical takeoff/landing rotorcrafts to overcome the disadvantages of traditional helicopters. For developing these new types of rotorcrafts, the upgraded conceptual design/comprehensive programs are required. In US and Europe, they are already developing new program tools with their technologies and database obtained during more than last half centuries. For us, many academia, research institutes and industrial engineers have experienced and developed core technologies on rotorcrafts (aerodynamics, structural analysis, flight dynamics, and noise analysis etc.) comparable to US and Europe during last couple of decades of developing helicopters and various configurations of rotorcrafts. In this paper, the pros and cons of conceptual design/comprehensive tools currently used in US and Europe have been summarized. Furthermore, the possibilities and problems to develope our own design and analysis tools have been studied.