Tip Driven Rotors
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: UK
Tip Driven Rotors
Quick question, was talking to a retired engineer last week who told me about a helicopter with tip driven rotors the Rotordyne, he remebered it was noisey as **** and not that successful.
My question is though why did manufacturers drop this type of research, do you think with modern technology the noise could be reduced and the idea proved successful, did a search but found little on the Rotordyne only bits of it left at Weston, any ideas????
My question is though why did manufacturers drop this type of research, do you think with modern technology the noise could be reduced and the idea proved successful, did a search but found little on the Rotordyne only bits of it left at Weston, any ideas????
Iconoclast
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: The home of Dudley Dooright-Where the lead dog is the only one that gets a change of scenery.
Tip driven rotors
Try here. There is an ongoing thread on this subject.
http://www.verticalreference.com/VRF...t=ST;f=27;t=22
http://www.verticalreference.com/VRF...t=ST;f=27;t=22
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Harwich
Slotty, don't know if you're looking for the right thing - I thought it was called the "Fairey Rotodyne" (no second R).
Apparently it was noisy, but the real reason it was cancelled is that it was invented by the British in the 60s and would thus have been doomed even if it flew in perfect silence on 50gph with one crew-member carrying 200 people at 400kt between city centres 1000 miles apart.
Apparently it was noisy, but the real reason it was cancelled is that it was invented by the British in the 60s and would thus have been doomed even if it flew in perfect silence on 50gph with one crew-member carrying 200 people at 400kt between city centres 1000 miles apart.
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
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From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
The Rotodyne had great potential and perhaps was just simply way ahead of its time. It was only noisy for a couple of minutes as it transitioned from the autorotative state to rotor tip jet powered flight to hover. Unfortunately the noisy part occurred when it was closest to the ground...
Hopefully one day the idea can be resurrected; IMHO it might be actually more viable than the present tilt-rotor design.
Hopefully one day the idea can be resurrected; IMHO it might be actually more viable than the present tilt-rotor design.
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,635
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From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Slotty's
It's not widely known, but, the project was dropped because a thrice-removed illegitimate Dutch relative of Igor Sikorsky came up with a quieter helicopter.
de Seversky's Ionocraft
My question is though why did manufacturers drop this type of research, do you think with modern technology the noise could be reduced .....
de Seversky's Ionocraft
