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  • Chapter 1: Introduction to the Helicopter › Rotor System › Tandem Rotor

    Tandem Rotor Tandem rotor (sometimes referred to as dual rotor) helicopters have two large horizontal rotor assemblies, instead of one main assembly and a smaller tail rotor. [Figure 1-6] Single rotor helicopters need a tail rotor to neutralize ... twisting momentum produced by the single large rotor. Tandem rotor helicopters, however, use counter-rotating rotors, each canceling out the other’s torque. Counter-rotating rotor blades will not collide with and destroy each other if they flex into…

  • Chapter 2: Aerodynamics of Flight › Hovering Flight › Translating Tendency (Drift)

    Translating Tendency (Drift) During hovering flight, a single main rotor helicopter tends to move in the direction of tail rotor thrust. This lateral (or sideward) movement is called translating tendency. [Figure 2-27] To counteract this tendency, one or more ... following features may be used. All examples are for a counterclockwise rotating main rotor disk. Figure 2-27. A tail rotor is designed to produce thrust in a direction opposite torque. The thrust produced by the tail rotor is sufficient…

  • Chapter 2: Aerodynamics of Flight › Turning Flight

    Figure 2-45. Forces acting on the helicopter during turning flight. Autorotation is the state of flight where the main rotor disk of a helicopter is being turned by the action of air moving up through the rotor rather than ... engine power driving the rotor. In normal, powered flight, air is drawn into the main rotor disk from above and exhausted downward, but during autorotation, air moves up into the rotor disk from below as the helicopter descends. Autorotation…

  • Chapter 11: Helicopter Emergencies and Hazards › Recovery Technique (Uncontrolled Right Yaw) › Main Drive Shaft or Clutch Failure

    Main Drive Shaft or Clutch Failure The main drive shaft, located between the engine and the main rotor transmission, provides engine power to the main rotor transmission. In some helicopters, particularly those with piston engines, a drive belt is used ... clutch or belt has the same effect as an engine failure because power is no longer provided to the main rotor and an autorotation must be initiated. There are a few differences, however, that need to be taken into consideration…

  • Chapter 11: Helicopter Emergencies and Hazards › System Malfunctions › Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness (LTE)

    catastrophic. LTE is an aerodynamic condition and is the result of a control margin deficiency in the tail rotor. It can affect all single-rotor helicopters that utilize a tail rotor. The design of main and tail rotor blades ... will not nullify the phenomenon entirely. Translational lift is obtained by any amount of clean air through the main rotor disk. Chapter 2, Aerodynamics of Flight, discusses translational lift with respect to the main rotor blade, explaining that the more…

  • Chapter 1: Introduction to the Helicopter › Rotor System › Intermeshing Rotors

    Coaxial Rotors Coaxial rotors are a pair of rotors turning in opposite directions, but mounted on a mast, with the same axis of rotation, one above the other. This configuration is a noted feature of helicopters produced by the Russian ... Kamov helicopter design bureau. [Figure 1-7] Intermeshing Rotors Intermeshing rotors on a helicopter are a set of two rotors turning in opposite directions, with each rotor mast mounted on the helicopter with a slight angle to the other…