A Mathematical Model for Helicopter Comprehensive Analysis

This article presents a new mathematical model for helicopter comprehensive analysis with the features of flexibility and mathematical simplicity. The model synthesizes the rigid fuselage motion model with 6 degrees of freedom, coupled flap-lag-torsion elastic rotor blade motion model, unsteady aerodynamics model with dynamic stall and high order generalized dynamic wake model. A new blade structural operator with implicit form is formulated, and the components of the blade structure model are independent of each other so that it is convenient to change or handle any component of blade structure without changing the others. What is more, the entire model is developed in a strict state-space form to simplify the comprehensive analysis. Finally, the UH-60 helicopter is taken as an example to predict the blade natural characteristics, the trim characteristics including controls and fuselage attitudes as well as the airloads at blade section under the flight conditions of high speed with moderate thrust and high thrust with moderate speed. The results are compared with UH-60 flight test data and those predicted by two well-known comprehensive codes. The validity of the model presented in this article is verified.