Hostname: page-component-89b8bd64d-4ws75 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-08T07:28:36.710Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The human-powered helicopter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

A. Filippone
A. Filippone*
Affiliation:
Dept of Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing Engineering UMIST, Manchester, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper reviews the requirements of the AHS human-powered helicopter (HPH) competition and discusses the feasibility of such a helicopter. Analysis is carried out with modified forms of the axial momentum theory to take into account the ground effect. Descent in autorotation is also considered. The main conclusions are: human-powered hover out of ground effect is not possible; the power loading decreases with the number of pedaling crew members; hover in ground effect significantly increases the rotor thrust at given power; the HPH operates in the vortex ring state; in principle, either altitude or endurance records can be reached for the AHS contest, but not both, due to insufficient power.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 106 , Issue 1065 , November 2002 , pp. 613 - 618
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2002 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1. AHS. The AHS Igor Sikorsky human powered helicopter competition, Vertiflite, 1997, 43, (3), pp 32–35.Google Scholar
2. Naito, A.A. Study of human powered helicopter in Japan, 1990, 49th Conference of Society of Allied Weight Engineers, Chandler, AZ, SAWE Paper No 1925.Google Scholar
3. Mouritsen, S. An aerodynamic and design analysis of the human-powered helicopter. 1990, 49th Conference of Society of Allied Weight-Engineers, Chula Vista, CA, SAWE Paper No 1924.Google Scholar
4. Whitt, F. and Wilson, D. Bicycling Science, second edition, 1982, MIT Press.Google Scholar
5. Parker, J.F. and West, V.R. (Eds) Bioastronautics Data Book, second edition, 1973, NASA SP-3006, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
6. Knight, M. and Hefner, R.A. Analysis of Ground Effect on the Lifting Airscrew, 1941, NACA TN 835.Google Scholar
7. Cheeseman, I.C. and Bennett, W.E. The Effect of the Ground on a Helicopter Rotor, 1955, Aeronautic Research Council R&M 3021.Google Scholar
8. Light, J.S. Tip vortex geometry of a hovering helicopter rotor in ground effect, 1993, J Am Hel Soc, 38, (2), pp 34–42.Google Scholar
9. Leishman, J.G. Principles of Helicopter Aerodynamics, 2000, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
10. Lyon, C.A., Broeren, A.P., Giguere, P., Gopalarathnam, A. and Selig, M.S. Summary of Low-Speed Aerofoil Data, 1998, 3, SoarTech Publications, Virginia Beach, VA.Google Scholar
11. Seddon, J. Basic Helicopter Aerodynamics, 1990, BSP Professional Books.Google Scholar
12. Visingardi, A. (private communication), January 2002.Google Scholar