As we discussed in the last article, fixed-wing aircraft designers typically start
with an airfoil that is optimized for the flight condition at which the aircraft spends
most of its time or the one that is the most demanding aerodynamically. Then they
use leading and trailing edge high-lift devices to reshape the airfoil for low-speed
operations, such as takeoff and landing. Unfortunately, the helicopter designer has
no such luxury. Although some experimentation has occurred with airfoil-changing devices,
none have been able to cope with the extreme centrifugal loads and very rapid aerodynamic
changes experienced by the working portions of a main rotor blade.
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Footnotes
☆Note: This column is written in an attempt to increase the understanding of medical personnel who work around helicopters and their pilots. I cannot do this in isolation. I need your comments both to help me understand how well I am communicating and to find subjects that are interesting and helpful to you.
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Copyright
© 2004 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
