Free Flight, Free Speech

Just a thought - not against helicopters or anything.. but if VTOL aircraft are refined to a point where rotors aren't needed anymore, would helos be obsolete? Given that they are almost a nightmare to maintain all the quirks (that I have read about).

I doubt your gonna see helicopters replaced anytime soon. Not without theoretically huge rotor or fan efficiencies scaled for heavy loads, You're not going to get away from rotors, as even ducted fans drives are still 'rotors' in an aerodynamic sense, and a larger slower turning rotor can do so much more work and lifting exponentially compared to a bunch of smaller ducted fans or rotors.

LesterBoffo wrote:I doubt your gonna see helicopters replaced anytime soon. Not without theoretically huge rotor or fan efficiencies scaled for heavy loads, You're not going to get away from rotors, as even ducted fans drives are still 'rotors' in an aerodynamic sense, and a larger slower turning rotor can do so much more work and lifting exponentially compared to a bunch of smaller ducted fans or rotors.

True, for heavy lifting they might need helos, but let's say, a unducted fan design:



With say, 4 on each side, or 2, wth addition of directed thrust. During VTOL, I expect the fuel economy be terrible, but in transtion to flight + a lifting body design, it would offset this? Sure, there's the transitioning mechanism to worry about, but at least it's not something as complicated as a gearbox all the power going through one structure and rotor..

I suspect though, it might be much more complicated than I am saying it is (ie why aren't people doing this?) but, surely, it would not be any more than a rotor helo although that is a proven design? Is the tech feasible and available enough to do this (after all, on a smaller scale, we have R/C quadcopters)? The only one I've seen is the Boeing V-22 Osprey and that is more helo than VTOL. The Harrier and F35B is a closer example - but of course, that was far more high tech and expensive.


P.S. I was not really able to fly helos in FGFS. I'm a terrible helo driver, but, I do enjoy watching them and reading up on them.

Any unshrouded fan or blades will suffer from the tips exceeding the speed of sound. Even if they have a half dozen of them. It's why the Tu-72 and the airbus A400 have gone to special 6 bladed smaller diameter blade designed rotors on their turboprop transports. They probably have transitional excursions through the sound barrier at cruise speed, but I think they're probably much quieter than the big counter rotating engines on the Tu-95 and An-22, which operate in their blade tips in the trans-sound range, which is why they're so darn loud. Also look up the Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech for a turboprop/jet hybrid meant to fly near the speed of sound.

Helo flying in FG takes practice, and the best practice is to get a few hours of slow or near stationary hovering under your belt so you can get a feel for the transition from hover to forward flight and back again. Actually a lot of recommended FG helicopters are trimmed badly in the sim, with being excessively nose heavy or having far too much forward tilt to the main rotor. The AS350 Squirrel I uploaded a day ago is trimmed to be somewhat gentle to fly. Also the Kamov Ka-50 from Helijah's Hangar double rotor is supposedly really easy for beginners.

Hmmm, I getting mixed answers on whether the tips of the helicopter rotor blades exceed the sound barrier or not. Is that a yes or no? Regardless, if yes, then it doesn't make a difference, though if no, then never mind..

Speed of sound is not desirable and avoided. Thus limiting the speed of a heli to a maximum of when the forward moving blade tips get at the speed of sound.

Kind regards, Vincent

Getting back to the topic, helicopters aren't bad depending on which heli. The FGUK ah-1 supercobra is fun, and it's easy to fly. Flew it around SVMI today. Took of from the parking lot between two tall building without crashing.

Anyone tried the AirWolf ? I suspect the FDM for that one was simplified. Not that I can control it for long, especially landings. But that was fun. Authentic sounds and everything...

Anyone old enough to remember AirWolf, for that matter?

I remember the movie. But I refuse to build a helicopter guidance system that leads you to nude walkers in apartment buildings.

jwocky wrote:a helicopter guidance system that leads you to nude walkers in apartment buildings.

Huh, THAT, I don't remember