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Post by the light works on Apr 3, 2014 15:45:30 GMT
the supersonic helicopter project I recall featured a special blade tip designed to reduce turbulence as the tip passed supersonic speeds. I think the design MAY be integrated into high speed subsonic helicopters - as the blade tips would still go supersonic.
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Post by silverdragon on Apr 6, 2014 10:18:35 GMT
The Air-wolf jet engine boost... "Auto-rotation" flight, where list is provided by the movement of air up through the rotors.... Gyro-copter style thrust from the jet and lift from the rotors.
Or so I believe....
Or so I believe it was actually mentioned on that show at some point, after some discussion over Gyro-copters, if you google that, you will see the craft where there is a propeller at the back providing thrust and the lift is supplied by auto-rotation of helicopter style blades.
....theoretically.....
Can a helicopter break the speed of sound?....especially one of that period.
Wasnt Air-wolf capable of something stupid like Mach 2?.....
In truth, as usual, high speed flight of Air-wolf was just normal speed flight speeded up on playback.
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Post by Cybermortis on Apr 6, 2014 11:09:47 GMT
Yes, Airwolf's top speed was Mach 2.
From what I can tell from some basic reading it appears that the top theoretical speed of a helicopter is Mach 0.5. Above that the rotor blades would shatter under the forces involved.
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Post by silverdragon on Apr 7, 2014 9:08:23 GMT
This is what I am thinking as well.
The tips of the rotors pass through the speed of sound, whilst the middle of the rotors are at "half" that speed, and aerodynamics do strange things at those speeds, so you have one half the rotor pushing one way, one half pushing the other way?...
Which is where the auto-gyro idea comes into play.
If the rotors are only providing lift from air passing through them, they are not driven by the engine, and can rotate slower, and then, be braked, so the tips do NOT pass through the speed of sound until the rest of the aircraft is approaching that speed, whilst still providing some small amount of lift....
This is the "theoretical" idea of the jet boost of the air-wolf?.... small amount of lift from a controlled speed slow rotating rotor helped by lifting body airframe and jet propulsion.
Heck, it even makes sense.
Until, that is, you actually try to do that........
No wonder we dont want to part with the Harrier Jump Jet just yet.
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Post by the light works on Apr 7, 2014 14:12:42 GMT
This is what I am thinking as well. The tips of the rotors pass through the speed of sound, whilst the middle of the rotors are at "half" that speed, and aerodynamics do strange things at those speeds, so you have one half the rotor pushing one way, one half pushing the other way?... Which is where the auto-gyro idea comes into play. If the rotors are only providing lift from air passing through them, they are not driven by the engine, and can rotate slower, and then, be braked, so the tips do NOT pass through the speed of sound until the rest of the aircraft is approaching that speed, whilst still providing some small amount of lift.... This is the "theoretical" idea of the jet boost of the air-wolf?.... small amount of lift from a controlled speed slow rotating rotor helped by lifting body airframe and jet propulsion. Heck, it even makes sense. Until, that is, you actually try to do that........ No wonder we dont want to part with the Harrier Jump Jet just yet. and why we keep both F-22 raptors and Apache gunships in service. |
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