Rotorhead design

[karlbamforth]

Marc,

I have not seen the book in a long time, I think it is in storage in UK.

If I remember correctly it was by Alexander Klemin. The link below may be the one, if not it is at least about the Wilford rotor. Sadly you will have to pay for it.

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insigh...tentId=1676777

Ben, the person who borrowed the book did take a few scans and will try to locate them. He cannot promise anything as he is unsure where they are.

I will keep searching.

[piolenc]

Rotoplane, can you post your rationale for using the combination of control systems that you selected for your ultralight gyro - teetering for cyclic accommodation but feathering for control? I for one am likely to learn something from it...

[RotoPlane]

Originally Posted by piolenc

Rotoplane, can you post your rationale for using the combination of control systems that you selected for your ultralight gyro - teetering for cyclic accommodation but feathering for control? I for one am likely to learn something from it...

The paddles and mixer needed for the rigid head will add too much weight for the UL…..and well….okay, I am chicken. I know the teetering head will solve the dissimilar lift problem and I am already trying several other new or different things on this UL. After I am sure it flies well, I will go for the rigid head (I can use the same blades), if I can get FAA's okay.

[piolenc]

Originally Posted by RotoPlane

The paddles and mixer needed for the rigid head will add too much weight for the UL…..and well….okay, I am chicken. I know the teetering head will solve the dissimilar lift problem and I am already trying several other new or different things on this UL. After I am sure it flies well, I will go for the rigid head (I can use the same blades), if I can get FAA's okay.

Well, if you're chicken, I guess I am turkey! I don't have a budget for a manned aircraft anyway, so I figure I'll build a nonflying test article initially with no controls and a ground-adjustable pitch setting. Test that by mounting it on my car. If it behaves as it should, then add the controls and test them on the ground, too. By that time I should be ready to build a stripped-down airframe, Bensen style, to prove the rotor system in flight.

[RotoPlane]

Your way of proceeding into the unsure, is the more intelligent way! I started to do that; modified a weed-eater engine and rounded up all the RC stuff I needed….and then I had an epiphany….I was getting old. The scaled down pieces-parts were also harder for me to fabricate. For the heck of it, this is the main drawing:

[autogyro]

Originally Posted by RotoPlane

Your way of proceeding into the unsure, is the more intelligent way! I started to do that; modified a weed-eater engine and rounded up all the RC stuff I needed….and then I had an epiphany….I was getting old. The scaled down pieces-parts were also harder for me to fabricate. For the heck of it, this is the main drawing:

could not open this file, even download and then open it.

[kolibri282]

could not open this file, even download and then open it.

Worked for me, you might want to give it another try or try a different computer

[gao]

does anyone know how the cyclic control works on this rotor head? I have the drawing but do not know how to load it up to the forum, so I used a Chinese website URL. I cannot see how the ball would function to complete cyclic pitch control.

Gordon

[gao]

http://bbs.chinaflyclub.com/Archiver.asp?ThreadID=6634 this is where the drawing is

[Jean Claude]

Ed, I do not understand the reason of HS in the front. I think it decreases the pitch stability and also the visibility.

[RotoPlane]

Originally Posted by Jean Claude

Ed, I do not understand the reason of HS in the front. I think it decreases the pitch stability and also the visibility.

Gee….I had forgotten that I posted this model drawing. It would now sport a three bladed rotor .

If this gyroplane had a teetering rotor, I would not even think of using a canard on this airframe nose…as you said Jean, it would be too un-stable. The rotor design I'm using, directly has control of the airframe, so either the airframe or the rotor tries to tip at any angle, the other will be forced to follow. Because this rotor has far more directional power than the airframe, the rotor will have its way.

The noted canard is used for trimming the airframe for horizontal cruise flight due to any CG movement…like fuel load or pilot weight. It also has the advantage of lessoning the load on the rotor, where an HS will increase the rotor load (if the nose moment is more than nominal). A canard is safe to use if the main lifting moments (the wing and/or the rotor) is between it and a horizontal stab….and if the canard stalls before either of them.

Both the wing and canard are sized large enough to just support the AUW at cruise and in this configuration the rotor produces no lift and is powered to keep its rotor rpm. It's next in line after I prove the rotor system on the single place gyro I'm building now works well .

[RotoPlane]

This is some of the model engine modifications I made for the above model. Couldn't find the completed and running engine pictures......

[Jean Claude]

Ed, consider that the CL of a rotor increases with much delay that the CL of a wing because of rotational inertia. This instability can occur more easily than a fixed wing, even with a rigid rotor.

[RotoPlane]

The canard offers the advantage of extending the CG range while reducing rotor loading and so my plan is to first test fly without the canard, then with it installed. You may be right Jean but I don't expect an instability problem due in part to the gyro wing and HS, but then I won't know for sure until it is tested. The HS lift can also be changed in flight but it will add loading to the rotor, so I have high hopes for the canard.

My all-time favorite control system is on the Piaggio Avanti .