This paper outlines the first phase of a research effort designed to respond to increasing interest in high speed rotorcraft. The ultimate aim is to develop a hierarchy of models for high speed rotary wing aerodynamics, building on complementary experimental and analytical investigations. Wind tunnel tests on a high advance ratio rotor system revealed key aspects of rotor behavior in this challenging regime. The tests provided data on rotor performance at advance ratios up to 1.7 to guide model development and expand the available validation database. Analytical enhancements to component aerodynamic models for comprehensive rotorcraft analyses were also implemented, building on enhanced yawed and reverse flow methods and a generalized wake model suitable for rotors with large regions of reversed flow. Implementing these enhancements in a lifting surface/full-span free-vortex wake model extended its correlation capabilities to advance ratio 1.0, with follow-on activity planned to enhance predictions out to advance ratios up to 2.5, using a combination of analytical and computational tools.
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