Helicopter

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Combination aircraft Piasecki X-49
XH-59A Advancing Blade Concept (ABC) rotor system
The Fairey Rotodyne was a combination aircraft with wings and a hot blade tip drive
Model of the VFW H-3
McDonnell XV-1

Flight screwdriver ( English Gyrodyne ) is the name for a vertical takeoff and landing capable hybrid aircraft , the constructive elements of gyroplanes and helicopters combined. As with helicopters, a rotor is used to generate lift for take-off and hovering, while forward flight the dynamic lift of the rotor is often supported by fixed wings, while propulsion is generated by propellers or separate jet engines. A common engine is usually used for the rotor and propeller drive. Aircraft with additional rigid wings are called combination aircraft ; the design without wings is classified as a flight helicopter in the narrower sense.

definition

Helicopter

According to the definition of GersdorfF & Knobling air wrenches are characterized in that they as gyroplane one or more rotors have, but remain connected to the lift generation during forward flight with the engine, the engine power is distributed to the rotor shafts and pressure or traction propeller. The rotor and propulsion devices can also have separate engines. The rotor only generates lift; propulsion is generated by propellers or jet engines. The rotor is relieved of load and allows somewhat higher flight speeds than a helicopter. As with helicopters, the reaction torque that occurs must be compensated for.

According to the definition of Polte, a helicopter is a helicopter with additional propulsion from one or more propellers. The further description corresponds to that of Gersdorff & Knobling.

Combination aircraft

Combination gyroplanes ( English compound gyroplanes ) also have fixed wings to distinguish them from flight gyros. During take-off and landing, the entire power is transferred to the rotor. When cruising, the lift is generated mainly by the wings; In this flight condition, the rotor can be uncoupled from the engine and set for low resistance. Combination aircraft are therefore also referred to as unloaded rotor VTOL aircraft in English . In this configuration, speeds of up to around 400 km / h are possible. This most commonly encountered construction is in the English speaking occasionally to the category of convertible aircraft ( Convertiplanes counted). Compound helicopters and combination aircraft only differ in that the latter also uses additional facilities for generating propulsion.

Drive concepts

Separate drives for rotor and propulsion

a shaft turbine + two jet turbines
  • 1972: Sikorsky S-69 / XH-59
    a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 shaft turbine + two Pratt & Whitney J60 turbojets
Blade tip drive + shaft turbine
Blade tip drive + radial engine

Common drive for rotor and propulsion

history

The Flettner Fl 185, which was developed from 1936 and flown for the first time in 1938 , was one of the first flight screwdrivers with its two propellers attached to booms and a driven main rotor. The UK-built Fairey Gyrodyne and Fairey Rotodyne followed in the 1950s . The Sikorsky S-61 F had two additional turbojet engines and reached 390 km / h in July 1965, still without wings. The Bell 533 was a further development of the UH-1 with additional jet engines and swept wings, which in 1969 enabled a maximum speed of 508 km / h. The Bell 533 was the first rotary wing aircraft that could exceed 400 km / h. As part of an American test program from the 1980s onwards, the Boeing X-50 and Sikorsky X-wing were tested, a design belonging to the convertible aircraft, in which the rotor is completely shut down in horizontal flight and acts as an additional wing.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the idea of ​​the helicopter was carried on by several companies. In 2005 Sikorsky announced that it would develop the Sikorsky X2 technology demonstrator . The only model's first flight was three years later. Also in 2008, Airbus Helicopters , at that time still under the name Eurocopter , took up this design principle again and built the prototype Eurocopter X3 , which had its maiden flight two years later. Development of the Sikorsky S-97 , which completed its maiden flight in May 2015, began as early as 2010 . Also based on the X2, the development of the Sikorsky / Boeing SB-1 began in 2015 as part of the Future Vertical Lift (ATCO) program of the US armed forces.

The armed forces' newly emerging interest in aircraft is due to their higher speed and range compared to helicopters, as well as the lower noise level. However, the aircraft are in direct competition with the convertible aircraft .

See also

literature

  • John WR Taylor (Ed.): Jane's All The World's Aircraft - 1965-66 , Sampson Low, Marston & Company Ltd., London, 1965
  • Kyrill von Gersdorff, Kurt Knobling: Helicopter and Gyrocopter (Die deutsche Luftfahrt Volume 3) , Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Munich, 1982, ISBN 3-7637-5273-0
  • Steve Markman, Bill Holder: Straight Up - A History of Vertical Flight , A Schiffer Military History Book, 2000, ISBN 0-7643-1204-9
  • Hans-Joachim Polte: Helicopter: History • Technology • Use . ES Mittler & Sohn , 2011, ISBN 978-3-8132-0924-2 .

Web links

Commons : Gyrodynes  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christoph Fischer: VFW H3 Sprinter - Development of a New Airplane . In Flug Revue May 1969, p. 49.
  2. ^ HA Taylor: Fairey Aircraft since 1915 , Naval Institute Press, 1974, ISBN 0-87021-208-7 , pp. 388 f.
  3. ↑ a b von Gersdorff, Knobling: p. 255.
  4. ↑ Hans-Joachim Polte: p. 12.
  5. ^ Markman, Holder, p. 11.
  6. ↑ Hans-Joachim Polte: p. 13.
  7. ↑ XH-59 on aviastar.org
  8. ↑ Gersdorff, Knobling p. 30
  9. ↑ John WR Taylor p. 301 f.
  10. ↑ Photo and history of the development of the Bell 533 at aviastar.org
  11. ↑ John WR Taylor p. 189 f.