An investigation has been conducted in the Langley full-scale tunnel to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of two four-place, light observation helicopter fuselage models designed for improved performance The investigation included tests of the basic fuselage shapes, and the fuselage with five rotor hubs, three pylons, two landing skids, several antennas, door junctures, and door handles. However, the present tests did not permit exploration of the effects of a rotor flow field on the aerodynamic characteristics of these components.nThe results are compared with available methods of predicting the parasite drag of the large components, and an estimate is made of the total parasite drag area of a helicopter of the light observation category. This estimate indicates that, with improved design and con¬struction of all components, a parasite drag value less than half that of current light observation helicopters is attainable.
展开▼
