The ability to go inverted in flight depends largely on the rotor head design.
The fully articulated head cannot take low G situations...the semi-rigid system (R22 B206) is worse but both have the problem that the aircraft doesn't necessarily follow the disc in a low G condition. This can cause mast bumping / droop stop pounding or a general loss of controllability.
Imagine towing a car up a hill, using a slow tractor and a tow rope. Then you have to make a sharp U-turn back down the hill. It's not going to work because the towed car doesn't follow your tractor. The wheels of the tractor would interfere with the tow rope! The only way you could do it was to rigidly connect the car, or to power through the turn (keeping the rope taut). The H269 doesn't have enough power to keep a positive lift throught the roll.
Well that's the best analogy I can come up with. Only a few helicopters with Rigid rotor systems have the capability to go inverted.
The other limiting factor is the fuel system. In the H269 it is a 'gravity fed' fuel system. No need to explain what inverted flight would do to that!
cl12pv2s
Last edited by cl12pv2s; 4th Apr 2005 at 09:47.