Principles Of Helicopter Aerodynamics (Relié)

Helicopters are highly capable and useful rotating-wing aircraft that have a variety of civilian and military applications. Their usefulness lies in their unique ability to take off and land vertically, to hover stationary relative to the ground, and to fly forward, backward, or sideways. These unique flying qualities, however, come at a price, including complex aerodynamic problems, significant vibrations, high levels of noise, and relatively large power requirements compared to a fixed-wing aircraft. This book, written by on internationally recognized teacher and researcher in the field, provides a thorough, modern treatment of the aerodynamic principles of helicopters and other rotating-wing vertical lift aircraft. The first part of the text begins with a unique technical history of helicopter flight, and then covers basic methods of rotor aerodynamic analysis and issues associated with helicopter performance and design. The second part is devoted to more advanced topics in helicopter aerodynamics, including airfoil flows, unsteady aerodynamics, dynamic stall, and rotor wakes. Every chapter is extensively illustrated and concludes with a full bibliography and homework problems. The text is complemented by a companion solutions manual to the problems. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as practicing engineers and researchers, will welcome this thorough and up-to-date text on rotating-wing aerodynamics.