Rocket Assisted Rotors
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Rocket Assisted Rotors
Interesting video and concept. I’m not sure I’d want a couple of hundred litres of hydrogen peroxide spinning above my head. Guess that might be why the idea never took off…
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Tip Rocket, Tip Jet
The Rotordyne had rotor tip ram jet thrusters fed fuel along the blades. The Hughes H 17 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_XH-17) used tip jets that were fed air from engines on the fuselage. I think the Rotordyne was the first machine to fly with ram jet tip thrusters, the second was probably the Dutch single rotor blade helicopter (!) the NHI H-3 Kolibrie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHI_H-3_Kolibrie) which was relatively successful and flew in the late 1950s. Seated in that picture in Wikipedia is Rene Van Der Harten, a founder of KLM Nordzee, a personal friend and one heck of a pilot. It takes lots of courage to strap yourself into a one-bladed tip jet helicopter in the 1950's!
All these machines had no torque and so no anti-torque devices. I would suppose they would fly quite similarly. They were all reportedly able to extremely efficiently turn fuel into noise.
All these machines had no torque and so no anti-torque devices. I would suppose they would fly quite similarly. They were all reportedly able to extremely efficiently turn fuel into noise.
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The interesting bit I found was that the rockets were only to supplement a regular engine for high power ops or to extend auto range. The idea must be redundant with turbine engines with high power to weight but still its an interesting concept. Im not sure hydrogen peroxide would be the safest in an accident or under fire….
Doesn’t the Rotordyne use the jet thrusters as the primary thrust?
Your friend certainly must have been very brave to fly a one bladed helicopter Nick, and with a new propulsion system!
Doesn’t the Rotordyne use the jet thrusters as the primary thrust?
Your friend certainly must have been very brave to fly a one bladed helicopter Nick, and with a new propulsion system!
People who were around at the time told a story that a leak developed when no one was around which consumed most of the aircraft except for the resulting rusty steel. Don't know if it is true but a lot of things were tried back then that would make you shiver.
The Rotordyne had rotor tip ram jet thrusters fed fuel along the blades. The Hughes H 17 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_XH-17) used tip jets that were fed air from engines on the fuselage. I think the Rotordyne was the first machine to fly with ram jet tip thrusters, the second was probably the Dutch single rotor blade helicopter (!) the NHI H-3 Kolibrie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHI_H-3_Kolibrie) which was relatively successful and flew in the late 1950s. Seated in that picture in Wikipedia is Rene Van Der Harten, a founder of KLM Nordzee, a personal friend and one heck of a pilot. It takes lots of courage to strap yourself into a one-bladed tip jet helicopter in the 1950's!
All these machines had no torque and so no anti-torque devices. I would suppose they would fly quite similarly. They were all reportedly able to extremely efficiently turn fuel into noise.
All these machines had no torque and so no anti-torque devices. I would suppose they would fly quite similarly. They were all reportedly able to extremely efficiently turn fuel into noise.
There used to be one by the main gate at the Eurocopter factory in Marignane
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Being pedantic I know, but it was, of course, the Fairey RotOdyne, not the RotoRdyne....
Even by today's standards it had a really good gross weight to basic weight ratio.
Even by today's standards it had a really good gross weight to basic weight ratio.
Thrust Drive System
Here is something more contemporary: Thrust Drive System Announcing Game Changing Helicopter Drive System
Picture
Picture
The system uses a unique and powerful propulsion technique to deliver thrust through specialized aerodynamic tubes and nozzles to provide the propulsion to power the rotor blades.
Benefits of this new technology include:
Benefits of this new technology include:
- ELIMINATES TRANSMISSION, TAIL ROTOR, GEAR BOXES, DRIVE SHAFTS & TAIL ROTOR STRUCTURE ALONG WITH RELATED WEIGHT, COST, AND CRITICAL POINTS OF FAILURE
- VASTLY QUIETER AND MORE EFFICIENT THAN PRIOR REACTION DRIVE HELICOPTERS
- ADDITIONAL TIME TO LOWER COLLECTIVE PITCH DURING AUTOROTATION DUE TO THE HIGH INERTIA OF THRUST DRIVE SYSTEM
- GREATLY ENHANCED AUTOROTATION CAPABILITY DUE TO SEPARATE DECOUPLING OF ROTORS
- ELIMINATION OF TAIL ROTOR DANGER, BOOM STRIKE/TAIL STRIKE
- REDUCTION OR ELIMINATION OF VORTEX RING STATE
- COROTATING AIRFOILS QUIETER THAN CONVENTIONAL HELICOPTER
- ABSOLUTE VERTICAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING
- DECREASED ENGINE CABIN NOISE, VIBRATION & HEAT
Last edited by Hot and Hi; 12th Jul 2021 at 19:33.
https://youtu.be/zNfAD-LBjEk
Interesting video and concept. I’m not sure I’d want a couple of hundred litres of hydrogen peroxide spinning above my head. Guess that might be why the idea never took off…
Interesting video and concept. I’m not sure I’d want a couple of hundred litres of hydrogen peroxide spinning above my head. Guess that might be why the idea never took off…
Fascinating...
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