Studies of helicopter dynamic stability and control laws

Abstract

Studies of the hingeless rotor helicopter dynamic stability and control laws are conducted. A new method is given for the calculation of stability and controllability of a helicopter in flight condition with lateral velocity. First, the rotary wing dynamic model considered is the one of flap‐pitch (including the elastic deformation of control system) – torsion coupling. The induced velocity non‐uniform distribution derived from vortex theory is taken into account. Then, according to the established motion model of the helicopter, the effects of induced velocity distribution, flap‐pitch‐torsion coupling and lateral velocity on the stability and controllability of the helicopter are analyzed. Based on the analyses of dynamic stability of the helicopter, the unstable mode and the necessity of installation of stability augmentation system (SAS) are recognized. Finally, the control laws of SAS for helicopter pitching, rolling and yawing motions are presented. After establishing helicopter flight control state equations, the performance analyses and step response simulation for helicopter SAS are carried out.

Citation

Su, Y. and Cao, Y. (2001), "Studies of helicopter dynamic stability and control laws", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 73 No. 2, pp. 132-138. https://doi.org/10.1108/00022660110384935