Principles of Helicopter Aerodynamics

Book excerpt: Helicopters are highly capable and useful rotating-wing aircraft with roles that encompass a variety of civilian and military applications. Their usefulness lies in their unique ability to take off and land vertically, to hover stationary relative to the ground, and to fly forward, backward, or sideways. These unique flying qualities, however, come at a high cost including complex aerodynamic problems, significant vibrations, high levels of noise, and relatively large power requirements compared to fixed-wing aircraft. This book, written by an internationally recognized expert, provides a thorough, modern treatment of the aerodynamic principles of helicopters and other rotating-wing vertical lift aircraft. Every chapter is extensively illustrated and concludes with a bibliography and homework problems. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students, practising engineers, and researchers will welcome this thorough and up-to-date text on rotating-wing aerodynamics.