Principles of Helicopter Aerodynamics

This book is a modern treatment of aerodynamic principles of helicopters and rotating-wing vertical lift aircraft.

J. Gordon Leishman (Author)

9781107013353, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 15 December 2016

866 pages
26.2 x 18.3 x 5 cm, 1.8 kg

Written by an internationally recognized teacher and researcher, this book provides a thorough, modern treatment of the aerodynamic principles of helicopters and other rotating-wing vertical lift aircraft such as tilt rotors and autogiros. The text begins with a unique technical history of helicopter flight, and then covers basic methods of rotor aerodynamic analysis, and related issues associated with the performance of the helicopter and its aerodynamic design. It goes on to cover more advanced topics in helicopter aerodynamics, including airfoil flows, unsteady aerodynamics, dynamic stall, and rotor wakes, and rotor-airframe aerodynamic interactions, with final chapters on autogiros and advanced methods of helicopter aerodynamic analysis. Extensively illustrated throughout, each chapter includes a set of homework problems. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students, practising engineers, and researchers will welcome this thoroughly revised and updated text on rotating-wing aerodynamics.

Preface to the second edition
Preface to the first edition
Acknowledgements
List of main symbols
1. Introduction: a history of helicopter flight
2. Fundamentals of rotor aerodynamics
3. Blade element analysis
4. Rotating blade motion
5. Helicopter performance
6. Aerodynamics design of helicopters
7. Aerodynamics of rotor airfoils
8. Unsteady airfoil behavior
9. Dynamic stall
10. Rotor wakes and blade tip vortices
11. Rotor-airframe interaction aerodynamics
12. Autogiros and gyroplanes
13. Aerodynamics of wind turbines
14. Computational methods for helicopter aerodynamics
Appendix
Index.

Subject Areas: Aerospace & aviation technology [TRP], Mechanical engineering [TGB]