Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543 Paper received: 30.01.

2008
UDC:533.661:629.01 Paper accepted: 02.07.2010

Determination of a Light Helicopter Flight Performance

at the Preliminary Design Stage
Zlatko Petrović - Slobodan Stupar - Ivan Kostić* - Aleksandar Simonović
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Serbia

Promising solutions for the problem of the extensively time-consuming modern urban
transportation has been found in the use of light and very light helicopters. This paper presents a part of
the preliminary design methodology, compiled at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of
Belgrade and includes performance calculations of such helicopters. Due to limited budgets and an
extremely demanding process of helicopter development, it is highly significantt that during all
development stages reliable performance estimates are obtained in order to ensure assigned operational
requirements. The scope of this paper is confined to the preliminary design stage, where it is customary to
substitute the very complex helicopter rotor dynamics with its averaged mechanical and aerodynamic
characteristics and apply certain empirically verified simplifications. Based on this approach, the
independent, efficient and reliable computer programs for the calculation of different performance
characteristics have been developed. In addition to their application on an actual on-going project, they
have also been applied on several existing helicopters of a similar class for a more accurate
determination of the empirical input parameters. The applied methodology and obtained results have
been presented, verifying the overall algorithm efficiency.
©2010 Journal of Mechanical Engineering. All rights reserved.
Keywords: light helicopter, flight performance, preliminary design stage

0 INTRODUCTION aim of such cyclic blade motions is to keep the

resultant rotor thrust acting in the plane of
Proper evaluation of the most important symmetry. Flapping motions of the blades enable
helicopter design parameters and estimation of its tilting of the main rotor disc in certain directions
basic flight performance in the initial design when desired, to generate forward, backward or
stages is highly significant for the overall project lateral thrust components. Due to all these factors,
time and cost effectiveness. It assumes the helicopter blades in progressive flight are
application of mathematical models that are fairly subjected to very complex unsteady airflow
simple, in conjunction with empirical coefficients patterns.
and parameters derived from the previous In spite of that, many years of industry
successful designs. Such a requirement of experience has shown that quite good and very
simplicity is in contrast with the extremely efficient preliminary estimates of helicopter
complex helicopter rotor dynamics. During one flying characteristics can be obtained by
revolution, a rotor blade in progressive flight is averaging some aspects of the rotor and overall
generally subjected to the pitching, flapping and helicopter dynamics and aerodynamics. Many
leading - lagging motions, repeated several methods have been developed so far, varying in
hundreds of times in a minute, while being the level of complexity and accuracy of the
exposed to the gravitational, centrifugal, inertial, obtained results. Their general aim is to bring the
and aerodynamic loads [1] and [2]. At higher most important design parameters of a new
progressive flight speeds, blades at the advancing helicopter close enough to their optimums, so that
azimuths are at very small pitch, with tips that major changes are hopefully not necessary at
might have local supersonic flow zones even in higher design levels, which involve very complex
case of light helicopters, while the retreating computational and experimental methods that are
blades are at incidences that are often beyond the expensive and time consuming. The best results
static stall angle, with inner domains subjected to in the initial design analyses can be obtained if
the reverse flow (velocity of flight is higher than calculations at the preliminary level are repeated
local tangential velocities in this domain). The

*
Corr. Author's Address: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Department,
535
Kraljice Marije 16, 11120 Belgrade 35, Serbia, [email protected]
 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

in several refinement steps, with the complexity area A  45.96 m2, number of revolutions per
level increasing from one to another. minute N  440 rpm = const. for all flight
This paper presents some of the regimes, giving blade tip tangential velocity
calculation procedures applied in the preliminary VT  175 m/s = const.
flight performance estimates of the light
The reciprocating power plant gives the
helicopter designs currently under development at
maximum output of P0 max = 147 kW (200 HP) at
the Aeronautical Institute of the Belgrade Faculty
of Mechanical Engineering. The first one is a the sea level. The engine power at other altitudes
design ordered by a foreign partner (Fig. 1.), is estimated as:
while the second one is aimed to be its simplified PH  P0 max  (1.11 / 0  0.11) , (1)
technology demonstrator version, with the take
off mass limited to 650 kg, for which the results where 0  1.2255 kg/m3 represents the density
are presented in this paper. The design process, in of air at H  0 m, and  is density at a given
accordance with Certification Specifications for altitude, defined by equation:
Small Rotorcraft CS-27 and Certification 20000  H
Specifications for Very Light Rotorcraft CS-   0 , (2)
VLR, was initiated with certain performance 20000  H
requirements. Some of these requirements in which the altitude H is expressed in meters.
considered low gross weight, payload larger than Also, for the purpose of this paper, the optimum
180 kg, range over 450 km, high value of hover fuel/air mixture at all altitudes has been assumed.
ceiling and cruising speed at 1000 m ISA+15, In operational design work, the actual engine
higher than 160 km/h. characteristics for different altitudes should be
Applied calculation algorithms have been used.
compiled with an aim to establish a proper At this level of helicopter performance
balance between the required simplicity and calculations, a standard approach is that the
time effectiveness on one hand, and the expected aerodynamic characteristics of the blades are
accuracy on the other. For the verification averaged over the main rotor disc. All presented
purposes, the same calculations have been analyses, based on [1] to [3] have been done
applied on several existing light helicopters. using a custom developed software for solving
Those results were then used to improve some of the sets of equation that will briefly be presented
the empirical parameters initially applied in new within the oncoming sections.
helicopter calculations. The obtained results
have proven to be very valuable inputs for the 1.1 The Average Main Rotor Blade Lift
following higher level calculations. Considering Coefficient
the fact that this is an on-going project, only the
results from the initial calculation stage will be The average blade lift coefficient is
presented in this paper. determined as:
C L  6CT /  , (3)
while the thrust coefficient in hovering and level
1 CALCULATION PROCEDURES
flight is given by:
For the here presented analyses, the take T
CT  , (4)
off mass of m  650 kg has been considered as a   R 2  VT2
constant input value. For operational purposes, and T  W  m  g. For initial estimates, Eq. (4)
mass should be varied within the predefined
range. Initially, an optimization procedure had can be used both for hovering and progressive
been applied to determine the most relevant flight. At higher calculation levels, this equation
calculation inputs. Considering the main rotor, the should be refined by including the disc slope
most relevant parameters that were obtained are: angle and collective pitch for the given mass for
number of blades n  2 , rotor radius R  3.8 m, example to determine a more accurate CT for the
blade chord length c  0.205 m, solidity factor of given progressive flight regimes.
the rotor   n  c  / R     0.0343 , rotor disc

536 Petrović, Z. - Stupar, S. - Kostić, I. - Simonović, A.

 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

Fig. 1. Helicopter CAD model and some examples of the components manufactured for the laboratory
tests and the production technology verifications (higher development stages of the on-going project)

1.2 Power Required for Hovering and i  h  vi / vh  (7)

Horizontal Flight
and:
Total power which is required for hovering  vi / vh   V / vh   vi / vh 
4 2 2
1  0 . (8)
and horizontal flight of a helicopter can be
obtained as the main rotor power increased by Parameter h  vh / VT  CT / 2 represents
approximately 10% to take into account the the induced velocity coefficient in hovering.
required tail rotor power and transmission losses For the calculated average rotor disk lift
P  1.1  C P AVT3 . The main rotor power coefficients determined using Eq. (3), the
coefficient C P in hovering is calculated from: averaged blade profile drag coefficients CD 0 for
 several characteristic altitudes have been obtained
CP  h CT  CD , (5) using the steady state polar curve shown in Fig. 2.
8 0 Knowing that vibrations during the flight
while for horizontal flight it becomes: generally affect the boundary layer generation
 R over the rotor blades [1], a dominant turbulent
CP  i CT  CD 0 (1  k  2 )   D CT , (6) layer has been assumed, and standard roughness
8 W
polar for Reynolds number 1.8×106 has been used
where  represents a coefficient which takes into [4]. It should be noted that, according to Fig. 2,
account the induced velocity distribution the average CL for H = 5 km is practically at the
irregularities over the main rotor disc. For
hovering   1.15 , while for forward flight maximum the steady-state lift curve. On the other
hand, the retreating blades under operational
  1.2 ;   V / VT , where V is progressive
conditions will require higher local lift coefficient
flight velocity. Constant k  4.65 is an empirical values. Since the maximum lift coefficient of an
value, used by the Westland Helicopters [3]. Drag airfoil under dynamic flow conditions
of the helicopter, except the rotor, is encountered on helicopter rotors is always higher
2
RD  0.5  CD SV 2  0.5  f AV 2 , where f A  1 m is than in steady flow [2], this value can also be
an estimate of the flat plate equivalent area, a used in formal averaged calculations. It should be
usual rounded value applied in the initial step for noted that because of the actual engine
small helicopter designs. Using the notation vh operational restrictions, kinematic limitations of
the main rotor (still not known at this design
and vi for velocities induced by the main rotor in level) and similarly, the preliminary results
hovering and horizontal flight, the induced considering the domain of the absolute ceiling
velocity coefficient in progressive flight must be taken with reservations as they might be
i  vi / VT is obtained from equations: overoptimistic to a certain extent.

Determination of a Light Helicopter Flight Performance at the Preliminary Design Stage

537
 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

Fig. 2. Steady-state lift coefficient and standard roughness polar curve for the NACA 8-H-12 airfoil [4]

1.3 Rate of Climb in Progressive Flight 1.4 Rate of Descent in Autorotation

Main rotor power required for climbing is Even in case of total engine power loss
P  CP  AVT3 . In this case, the power coefficient  PAV  0 kW  , helicopters are able to land the
is given by: autorotation regime. For this case, Eq. (10)
 1 f transforms into:
CP  i CT  CD 0 (1  k  2 )   3 A 
8 2 A (9)   CD 0 3 fA
d   i  (1  k  2 )  , (11)
c CT .  8  CT 2 CT A
In Eq. (9), c  w / VT is relative climbing where  d represents relative descending velocity.
velocity, where w is the actual rate of climb in For this purpose, the value   1.0 gives more
meters per second. Parameter   1.3 takes into reliable results. The rate of descent in autorotation
account additional losses caused by the changes waut for given V at H is then obtained as:
of relative flow direction in climb, while other
parameters have the same meaning as already   CD 0 
waut  VT  i  (1  k  2 ) 
mentioned. The highest rates of climb at a given  8 CT 
 
flight velocity V and altitude H can be reached (12)
when maximum available engine power PAV for  1 3 fA 
VT  .
this altitude is applied. Since the main rotor  2 CT A 
receives approximately 90% of the total engine
power, the equation for c becomes: 1.5 Height-Speed Envelope, Optimum Speeds
and Maximum Rates of Climb in Progressive
09  CPAV i  CD
c    (1  k  2 ) 
0
Flight
 CT  8  CT After calculating the powers required for
(10)
3 fA progressive flight and the available powers for
 . different altitudes using the presented algorithms,
2 CT A
at their crossing points, the minimum Vmin  and
maximum Vmax  flight speeds of flight have been
determined. To achieve sufficiently small altitude

538 Petrović, Z. - Stupar, S. - Kostić, I. - Simonović, A.

 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

steps, required values of C L and C D have been dV

mV  XV  PAV  P .
0
(16)
interpolated or extrapolated using the data from dt
Table 1. from wich the acceleration is:
At the points of maximum corresponding
dV PAV  P
power differences, the velocities Vopt for given ahor   . (17)
dt mV
altitudes have been defined. Maximum rates of
climb that correspond to the calculated optimum
speeds are obtained as described in section 1.3. 2 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1.6 Ground-Effect Influence on the Main Figs. 3 to 7 show the results that were
Rotor Power Required for Hovering obtained in the initial stage of the preliminary
analyses of the here presented helicopter project,
In the proximity of ground, the power using algorithms explained in previous sections.
required for hovering becomes smaller. The All diagrams, except Fig. 6, have been obtained
induced velocity decreases progressively with the using the induced velocity distribution coefficient
ground proximity according to the equation:   1.2 for the progressive flight in the whole
domain. On the other hand, as mentioned in
vhG 05
 1  , section 1.2, for V = 0 km/h the hovering value
2
vh H (13)   1.15 should be applied. In order to avoid a
1 4 
R singularity jump at speeds just above zero, in
curves involving this coefficient, an interpolation
where H represents the main rotor disc height
should be made in latter refinement steps in the
from the ground, and  is the ground effect domain of small progressive flight speeds. For
coefficient. The equation for the power example, considering the power required at
coefficient for the calculation of the main rotor
H  0 m, the difference between the application
power (only) in the ground proximity
of the two values of the coefficient  results in
PG  CPG  AVT3 is: the difference of the order of about 2.5 kW at V =
0 km/h. This could be verified using the main

CPG  h CT  CD . (14) rotor power value P uncorrected for the ground
8 0 influence in Fig. 6 (dashed line). To get the total
In case of light helicopters, at heights of power required, this value should be multiplied
the order of 15 m, Eq. (12) practically takes the by factor 1.1, and then compared with the H = 0
form of Eq. (5). The total power required should km curve in Fig. 3, which leads to the above
include an additional 10% for the tail rotor and mentioned value.
transmission losses. Considering the diagram shown in Fig. 9,
it is obvious that values of acceleration in
1.7 Acceleration in Horizontal Flight horizontal flight at small velocities, when V  0 ,
tend to infinitely large values. This is a natural
Expressions which define acceleration in consequence of the application of a simple
horizontal flight are derived from the Second Law approach described in section 1.7, which is good
of Newton: enough in preliminary analyses, but results for
dV very small speeds of flight must be ignored.
m X , (15)
dt

Table 1. Definition of the averaged profile drag coefficient for some characteristic altitudes for NACA 8-
H-12 airfoil, derived from Fig. 2
H [m] 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 4500 5000
CL 0.654 0.723 0.799 0.885 0.981 1.034 1.090
CD 0 0.0120 0.0126 0.0134 0.0147 0.0181 0.0250 0.0393

Determination of a Light Helicopter Flight Performance at the Preliminary Design Stage 539
 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

Fig. 3. Variation of the total power P for horizontal flight and the available power PAV, with altitude

Fig. 4. Variation of the rate of climb with speed Fig. 6. Main rotor hovering power including
ground effect

Fig. 5. Rate of descent in autorotation Fig. 7. Height-speed envelope and Vopt

(H = 0 m)

Algorithms which are applied in this paper II are shown in Fig. 10 and in Table 2. Parameters
are influenced by empirical factors. Thus, it is [5] to [7] applied in the calculations simulating
good engineering practice to verify them on the preliminary design level of this helicopter
several existing helicopters whose overall design were: m = 621 kg, n = 2, R = 3.85 m, c = 0.18 m,
characteristics are as close as possible to the main rotor blade airfoil NACA 63-015 [8] and
category of the new model under development. [9], etc. Its Lycoming O320B2C engine whose
Some results obtained for the Robinson R22 Beta nominal maximum power is 160 HP, is derated to

540 Petrović, Z. - Stupar, S. - Kostić, I. - Simonović, A.

 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

the maximum of 131 HP at lower altitudes in reserve for safe operations if flown the at the
order to extend the engine and transmission life altitude of 4270 m (oxygen system is not a part of
time. For the here presented calculations it has the R22 standard equipment).
been assumed that P = 131 HP can be maintained Performing such "reverse-engineering"
constant up to the altitude of 1780 m, after which analyses of the existing models, together with the
it begins to decrease (value obtained from Eq. (1), calculations for a new helicopter, is very useful
using P0 max  160 HP; the actual engine can for fine adjustments of the applied empirical
develop 131 HP up to H  2250 m [7]). coefficients in calculation algorithms. For
example, a proper match for the Robinson's
maximum speed has been achieved using
f A  0.8 m2 instead of the 1 m2 value from
section 1.2, which has been applied in the here
presented initial calculations of the new
helicopter. Therefore, the calculations had to be
repeated with f A  0.8 to 0.9 m2 for more
realistic estimates of its fuselage drag of the here
analyzed project. Such relatively simple
calculation techniques are obviously extremely
valuable for quick and efficient relative
comparisons with the existing designs. In
Fig. 8. Variation of the maximum rate of climb addition, the obtained results provide a good
with altitude initial insight in the capability of the new design
to satisfy certain requirements prescribed by air
regulations for the given helicopter category.
Preliminary performance calculations,
such as the ones presented in this paper, are most
often done using the data for the original airfoil
(or airfoils) applied in rotor design. On the other
hand, it is known that for composite rotor blades,
the airfoil must be modified to comprise a fixed
flat tab along the whole trailing edge, primarily in
order to enable proper merging of the upper and
lower blade surface plies during the
manufacturing. This modification can affect the
Fig. 9. Acceleration in horizontal flight at airfoil profile drag [1] to a certain amount. For the
H=0m here presented new helicopter, it has been shown
[8] that the most unfavorable expected tab design
Keeping in mind that we are talking about from the aspect of drag increase should not
the accuracy at the preliminary analyses level, absorb more than 1.5% of the maximum available
agreements between the calculated values and the engine power at H = 0 m, so at the preliminary
existing data are good. Again, the absolute ceiling design level this influence can be ignored. On the
is most probably overestimated to a certain other hand, if an asymmetrical airfoil is used in
extent, but this result can not be compared with the blade design, even a small error in
the operational data. It is actually a theoretical determining a proper angular position of the tab
value which is generally not flight-tested for can seriously affect the moment about the
helicopters because it could lead to a disaster. On aerodynamic center [8]. In case of helicopter
the other hand, the operational ceiling can be blades this value must remain small enough, so
assigned by the manufacturer only after a vast this particular issue should also be very carefully
number of rigorous test flights. Still, Fig. 10a considered at higher design levels.
leads to a conclusion that this helicopter would
have a very reasonable speed range and power

Determination of a Light Helicopter Flight Performance at the Preliminary Design Stage 541
 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

Fig. 10. Calculations for the Robinson R22 Beta II: a) height-speed envelope (1 - power derated to 131 HP
= const. up to 1780 m; 2 - operational ceiling value taken from Table 2); b) variation of the rate of climb
with speed

Table 2. Comparison of the existing and calculated data for Robinson R22 Beta II – hovering ceiling; 2 –
absolute ceiling; 3 – maximum operating altitude (service ceiling); 4 – maximum rate of climb at sea
level; 5 – maximum rate of climb at 3 km altitude; 6 – maximum speed in level flight
1 2 3 4 5 6
wmax
Robinson R22 Hmax hover Hmax Hmax oper wmax (H=3 km) Vmax
(H = 0 km)
m = 621 kg [M] [M] [M] [m/s] [km/h]
[m/s]
Existing data 2867* [5] / 4270 [5] > 5.1 [5]; > 3.05 [5] 180 [7]
6.1 [6]
Calculations 2889 5433 / 6.07 4.03 178÷188 **
*
in ground effect; out of ground effect, a bit smaller value would be obtained
**
for H = 0 to 1780 m, assuming that derated power of P = 131 HP is kept constant

3 CONCLUSION efficient analyses and enable variations of the

design parameters in the required ranges, giving
In this paper some of the most important stable and smooth solutions. Knowing the fact
issues considering a light helicopter flight that such calculations are based on certain
performance, confined to the preliminary design empirical parameters, parallel calculations have
level, have been analyzed. An approach common been performed for several similar existing
at this project level, based on the averaged rotor helicopter designs, and some of them for the
and helicopter dynamic and aerodynamic Robinson R22 Beta have also been presented in
characteristics, has been applied. For the this paper. This particular example has shown the
presented calculations of the power required for need for certain adjustments of the fuselage drag
hovering and horizontal flight, the rate of climb in calculations of the presented helicopter project in
progressive flight and the rate of descent in the oncoming design steps. After verifying all
autorotation, height-speed envelope, optimum other applied parameters for the given helicopter
speeds and maximum rates of climb, ground category in a similar manner, the presented
effect influence and acceleration in horizontal calculations can provide extremely useful inputs
flight, sets of equations have been carefully for further, much more complex and time
selected to achieve proper balance between the consuming analyses at higher design levels where
simplicity, time effectiveness and the required detailed helicopter dynamics and aerodynamics
accuracy at this design level. Custom developed must be taken into account. The presented
software has shown the ability to perform approach in preliminary calculation metodology

542 Petrović, Z. - Stupar, S. - Kostić, I. - Simonović, A.

 Strojniški vestnik - Journal of Mechanical Engineering 56(2010)9, 535-543

can noticeably contribute to the overall project approved rotorcraft flight manual, p. 2-2,
effectiveness. & p. 7-17., 1996; from Wikipedia, Internet
encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
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Determination of a Light Helicopter Flight Performance at the Preliminary Design Stage 543