Experimental research of single - rotor helicopter unintentional yaw rotation

Abstract

Aviation accidents related to unintentional rotation may periodically occur while flying single-rotor helicopters. On-time and correct actions may help the pilot to find the way out of this hazardous situation. But it is also important to understand the situation which contributes to the unanticipated yaw occurrence, and whether there are any factors which can stop the pilot from preventing such unintentional rotation, in order to avoid these conditions. Literature analysis shows that researchers studying this phenomenon don’t have the shared vision on unanticipated yaw occurrence conditions. In regards to this fact the decision to carry out a series of wind tunnel experiments using helicopter model and propeller was taken. The main object of research was a radio-controlled model of the Blade 130 x helicopter, mounted on a platform rotating around a vertical axis, which was installed on a vertical strut. Research-laboratory aerodynamic complex belonging to the Aerodynamics, Design and Aircraft Strength Chair of Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation was used to generate airflow. A set of dynamic experiments was carried out to determine the conditions contributing to unanticipated yaw occurrence. The analysis of the experiments has shown that there is a range of sliding angles at a certain speed of the incoming air flow which makes the helicopter yaw balancing impossible, and if the helicopter occasionally gets into this range, it inevitably leads to the unintended rotation of the helicopter on the yaw occurrence. Helicopter yaw trim inability occurs at negative sideslip angles because of tail rotor thrust decrease due to the incoming airflow blowing which decreases the blades angles of attack and worsens helicopter airframe aerodynamic moment that coincides in direction with main rotor torque if helicopter airframe possesses directional stability. In these conditions the required tail rotor pitch is greater than the available pitch so the pilot is not able to counteract the initiated unanticipated yaw rotation of the helicopter that has begun. The possibility of helicopter unanticipated yaw rotation caused by the impact of the main rotor on the tail rotor was not experimentally confirmed. It was impossible to create the conditions of unanticipated yaw occurrence during the experiments because of the tail rotor vortex ring state.