Basic Helicopter and

Propeller Design
(HELICOPDES)

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

 Basic Helicopter Design

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Objectives

 Know the Design Objectives in Basic Helicopter Design.

 Know the Design Requirements in Basic Helicopter Design.
 Know the Design Phases in Basic Helicopter Design.
 Know how to design the Main Rotor.
 Know how to design the Tail Rotor.
 Understand the assembly of a Helicopter.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Introduction

 In designing the modern helicopters, there are many

issues concerning with performance, noise level, physical
size, safety standards and so on. These issues conflict
each other and therefore, it will be difficult to satisfy all
of them.
 The primary objective of the preliminary design would be
to design the smallest, lightest and least expensive

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Design Objective

 The goal of the design process is to optimize the mission effectiveness of the design item.
There are two groups of factors which determine an item's mission effectiveness.

A.) Operational factors

1. Mission readiness which is a measure of the degree to which an item is operable at the start
of a randomly selected mission. Mission readiness is measured by an item's availability,
reliability, and maintainability.
a) Availability is a function of the mean time between maintenance actions and the
maintenance down time.
b) Reliability is a function of an item's failure rate.
c) Maintainability is measured by the item's mean time to repair.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Design Objective

2. Survivability which is a measure of the item’s ability to

withstand a hostile man-made environment and still be mission
ready.
3. Overall performance which is a measure of how well an item
performs its designated mission.

B.) Economic factors

 The principle economic factor cost, which is a measure in
dollars of the amount required to design, produce, test, and
operate a item during its life-cycle.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Design requirements for light utility helicopter

 The primary usefulness of light utility type helicopter would be

its ability to hover and to operate from the unprepared sites.
 Beside this primary ability, there are other civil roles and
missions that the light utility type helicopters should carry out.
 The typical civil roles that light utility type helicopter should
carry out include the followings.
1. To transport passengers or cargo in the inaccessible areas
2. To carry out law activities such as surveillance, medical
support, media role and etc.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Design Phases

The design process can be divided into five basic phases.

1. The first phase is a study of the historical data and the trends in the helicopter design.
2. Second, a conceptual study is conducted using "rules of thumb" and experience to develop
simple layouts.
3. Third, preliminary designs are drawn which include volumetric sizing, airframe lines,
mechanisms, and structural concepts.
4. Fourth, the design enters a "proposal status" in which detailed subsystems are developed,
structural sizing is refined, and mockups are constructed.
5. Fifth, the final details are completed.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

The Phases of the Design Process

1. Trend study
(a) Provide direction for further study
(b) Obtain quick look answers
2. Conceptual study
(a) Compare configuration
(b) Estimate size and cost
(c) Establish feasibility
(d) Recommend follow-on

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

The Phases of the Design Process
3. Preliminary design
(a) Insure design practicality
(b) Develop structural concepts
(c) Develop concepts for mechanisms
(d) Expand data base
4. "Proposal status" design
(a) Increase detail of structure, weight, etc.
(b) Increased confidence by risk reduction
(c) Support proposal commitment
5. Details
HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan
Main Rotor Design

1. Make a rough estimate of the manufacturer's empty weight

 Manufacturer's empty weight is the weight of the aircraft "as
built" and includes the weight of the structure, power plant,
furnishings, installations, systems, and other equipment that are
considered an integral part of an aircraft before additional
operator items are added for operation.
2. Make a rough estimate of gross weight
 Aircraft gross weight is the total aircraft weight at any moment
during the flight or ground operation.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Main Rotor Design

3. Calculate the maximum tip velocity

 Tip velocity is the velocity of the outer edge of a wheel or the tip of a
propeller.
4. Determine the rotor radius
 The Rotor Radius is the radius of the rotation measured in centimeters or
inches. The selection of a main rotor radius will affect the disk loading of the
blade. The disk loading is a function of gross weight and main rotor radius.
 Disk Loading of a hovering helicopter is the ratio of its weight to the total main
rotor disk area.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Main Rotor Design
5. Determine the maximum rotational velocity
 The maximum rotational velocity can be determined since the maximum tip
velocity and the design rotor radius are known.
 Maximum Rotational velocity = Maximum tip velocity / Rotor radius
6. Determination of thrust coefficient
 The value of thrust coefficient should be determined at the specification
density altitude.
 Thrust Coefficient = Thrust of Main Rotor / [ Disk Area of main rotor *
Density * (Tip velocity)2]
 Tip velocity = Rotational velocity * Rotor radius

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Main Rotor Design
7. Determine the blade solidity
 Solidity is the function of the blade's ability to absorb power
from the engine and the potential to provide rotor thrust.
8. Determine the number of main rotor blades to be used
 The number of rotor blades to be used is a function of rotor
radius (as it affects solidity), vibration, and weight.
 For a given solidity, more blades would be required if the
radius and chord are to be kept small. The vibration of the
main rotor is a factor in the determination of the number of
blades to be used.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Main Rotor Design

9. Determine the chord and the aspect ratio

 For a helicopter rotor, the aspect ratio is defined as the
radius divided by the chord.
 Historically, the main rotor aspect ratio has been between
15 to 20.
10.Determine the average lift coefficient
 The aerodynamic lift coefficient CL is a measure of the
difference in pressure created above and below a vehicle's
body as it moves through the surrounding viscous air.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Main Rotor Design
11. Choose an airfoil section for the main rotor blades

The selection criteria for an airfoil are as follows:

a. High stall angle of attack to avoid stall on the retreating side,
b. High lift curve slope to avoid operation at high angles of attack,
c. High maximum lift coefficient to provide the necessary lift,
d. High drag divergence Mach number to avoid compressibility effects on the advancing side.
e. Low drag at combinations of angles of attack and Mach numbers representing conditions at
hover and cruise, and
f. Low pitching moments to avoid high control loads and excessive twisting of the blades.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Main Rotor Design

12.Determine average lift curve slope and average profile

drag coefficient
 The lift curve slope is a measure of how rapidly the wing
generates lift with change in AOA.
 The drag coefficient is a dimensionless quantity that is
used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a
fluid environment.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Tail Rotor Design

1. Make preliminary determinations of tail rotor geometry

 Determine the radius, rotational velocity, drag
coefficient, and the number of blades of the tail rotor.
 Determine the length of the fuselage from the center of
gravity to the tail rotor hub.
 Determine the Chord of the tail rotor blades.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Tail Rotor Design

2. Determine tail rotor power required at hover OGE, SSL

 The total power of the tail rotor required to hover out of ground
effect at standard sea level is the induced power, out-of-ground
effect with tip loss, added to the profile power.
3. Determine tail rotor power required and tip Mach effects for
forward flight
 These calculations should be made at both standard sea level
and at specification density altitude.
 The cruise velocity should also be included.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Airframe: Preparing the tubing

Part 1
 Each individual tubular part is cut by a tube cutting
machine that can be quickly set to produce different,
precise lengths and specified batch quantities.
 Tubing that must be curved to match fuselage contours is
fitted over a stretch forming machine, which stretches
the metal to a precisely contoured shape.
 The tubes are then deburred (a process in which any
ridges or fins that remain after preliminary machining
are ground off) and inspected for cracks.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Airframe: Preparing the tubing

Part 2
 Gussets (reinforcing plates or
brackets) and other reinforcing details
of metal are machined from plate,
angle, or extruded profile stock by
routing, shearing, blanking, or sawing.
 Some critical or complex details may
be forged or investment cast.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Airframe: Preparing the tubing

Part 3
 The tubes are chemically cleaned, fitted into a subassembly
fixture, and MIG (metal-arc inert gas) welded.
 In this process, a small electrode wire is fed through a
welding torch, and an inert, shielding gas (usually argon or
helium) is passed through a nozzle around it; the tubes are
joined by the melting of the wire.
 After welding, the subassembly is stress relieved—heated to a
low temperature so that the metal can recover any elasticity
it has lost during the shaping process.
 Finally, the welds are inspected for flaws.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Forming sheet metal details

Part 4
 Sheet metal, which makes up other parts of the
airframe, is first cut into blanks
 Aluminum blanks are heat-treated to anneal them (give
them a uniform, strain-free structure that will increase
their malleability).
 The blanks are then refrigerated until they are placed in
dies where they will be pressed into the proper shape.
 After forming, the sheet metal details are aged to full
strength and trimmed by routing to final shape and size.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Forming sheet metal details

Part 5
 Sheet metal parts are cleaned before being
assembled by riveting or adhesive bonding.
 Aluminum parts and welded subassemblies may
be anodized which increases corrosion
resistance.
 All metal parts are chemically cleaned and
primer-painted, and most receive finish paint by
spraying with epoxy or other durable coating.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Making the cores of composite components

Part 6
 Cores, the central parts of the composite components,
are made of Nomex (a brand of aramid produced by Du
Pont) or aluminum "honeycomb," which is cut to size by
bandsaw or reciprocating knife.
 The material with which each component is built up from
its cores (each component may use multiple cores) is
called pre-preg ply.
 The plies are layers of oriented fibers, usually epoxy or
polyimide, that have been impregnated with resin.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Making the cores of composite components

Part 7
 Completed layups, as the layers of pre-preg
affixed to the mold are called, are then
transported to an autoclave for curing.
 An autoclave is a machine that laminates
plastics by exposing them to pressurized steam,
and "curing" is the hardening that occurs as the
resin layers "cook" in the autoclave.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Making the cores of composite components

Part 8
 Visible trim lines are molded into the panels by scribe
lines present in the bond mold tools.
 Excess material around the edges is then removed by
band sawing. Large panels may be trimmed by an
abrasive water-jet manipulated by a robot.
 After inspection, trimmed panels and other composite
details are cleaned and painted by normal spray
methods.
 Surfaces must be well sealed by paint to prevent
metal corrosion or water absorption.
HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan
Making the fuselage

Part 9
 Canopies or windscreens and passenger
compartment windows are generally made of
polycarbonate sheet.
 Front panels subject to bird strike or other impact
may be laminated of two sheets for greater
thickness.
 All such parts are made by placing an oversized
blank on a fixture, heating it, and then forming it
to the required curvature by use of air pressure in
a free blowing process. In this method, no tool
surface touches the optical surfaces to cause
defects.
HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan
Installing the engine, transmission, and rotors

Part 10
 Modern helicopter engines are turbine rather
than piston type and are purchased from an
engine supplier.
 The helicopter manufacturer may purchase or
produce the transmission assembly, which
transfers power to the rotor assembly.
Transmission cases are made of aluminum or
magnesium alloy.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Installing the engine, transmission, and rotors

Part 11
 The main and tail rotor assemblies are
machined from specially selected high-
strength metals.
 The rotor blades themselves are machined
from composite layup shapes. Main rotor
blades may have a sheet metal layer
adhesively bonded to protect the leading
edges.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Systems and controls

Part 12
 Wiring harnesses are produced by laying out the
required wires on special boards that serve as
templates to define the length and path to
connectors.
 Tubes are inspected for dimensional accuracy and
to ensure that no cracks are present. Hydraulic
pumps and actuators, instrumentation, and
electrical devices are typically purchased to
specification rather than produced by the
helicopter manufacturer

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Final assembly

Part 13
 Finished and inspected detail airframe parts, including sheet metal, tubular, and machined and
welded items, are delivered to subassembly jigs (fixtures that clamp parts being assembled).
 Central parts are located in each jig, and associated details are either bolted in place or, where
rivets are to be used, match-drilled using pneumatically powered drills to drill and ream each
rivet hole.
 For aerodynamic smoothness on sheet metal or composite skin panels, holes are countersunk so
that the heads of flat-headed screws won't protrude. All holes are deburred and rivets applied.
 A sealant is often applied in each rivet hole as the rivet is inserted. For some situations, semi-
automated machines may be used for moving from one hole location to the next, drilling,
reaming, sealing, and installing the rivets under operator control.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan Assembly Jig
Final assembly
Part 14
 After each subassembly is inspected, it typically moves to
another jig to be further combined with other small
subassemblies and details such as brackets. Inspected
subassemblies are then delivered to final assembly jigs, where
the overall helicopter structure is integrated.
 Upon completion of the structure, the propulsion components
are added, and wiring and hydraulics are installed and tested.
 Canopy, windows, doors, instruments, and interior elements
are then added to complete the vehicle. Finish-painting and
trimming are completed at appropriate points during this
process.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan

Final assembly

Part 15
 After all systems are inspected in final
form, along with physical assemblies and
appearance aspects, the complete
documentation of materials, processes,
inspection, and rework effort for each part
is checked and filed for reference.
 The helicopter propulsion system is tested,
and the aircraft is flight-tested.
HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan
Summary

 Design Objective is categorized into Operational factors and Economic

factors.
 Phases of the Design Process includes: Trend study, Conceptual study,
Preliminary design, "Proposal status" design and Details.
 The Main Rotor Design is a complex process and needs to be studied and
computed properly to achieve maximum efficiency in a helicopter design.
 The Tail rotor Design should also be designed properly to achieve a
desirable amount of anti torque thrust that is necessary for all phases of
flight.
 A test flight is required after assembling the helicopter.

HAU | Prepared by: Engr. Jan Glenndale L. Punsalan