A handling qualities analysis tool for rotorcraft conceptual designs

Abstract

Over the past decade, NASA, under a succession of rotary-wing programs, has been moving towards coupling multiple discipline analyses to evaluate rotorcraft conceptual designs. Handling qualities is one of the component analyses to be included in such a future Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization framework for conceptual design of Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. Similarly, the future vision for the capability of the Concept Design and Assessment Technology Area of the U.S Army Aviation Development Directorate also includes a handling qualities component. SIMPLI-FLYD is a tool jointly developed by NASA and the U.S. Army to perform modelling and analysis for the assessment of the handling qualities of rotorcraft conceptual designs. Illustrative scenarios of a tiltrotor in forward flight and a single-main rotor helicopter at hover are analysed using a combined process of SIMPLI-FLYD integrated with the conceptual design sizing tool NDARC. The effects of variations of input parameters such as horizontal tail and tail rotor geometry were evaluated in the form of margins to fixed- and rotary-wing handling qualities metrics and the computed vehicle empty weight. The handling qualities Design Margins are shown to vary across the flight envelope due to both changing flight dynamics and control characteristics and changing handling qualities specification requirements. The current SIMPLI-FLYD capability, lessons learned from its use and future developments are discussed.

Mars Science Helicopter Conceptual Design

“…In future tasks for the Mars Science Helicopter design, flight dynamics modeling and assessment will be performed for the rotorcraft using FlightCODE (Ref. 25).…”

NASA concept vehicles and the engineering of advanced air mobility aircraft

“…Other tools are available to provide detailed models and data for the principal codes: engine models (NPSS [20]); handling qualities assessment (SIMPLI-FLYD [21]; and FlightCODE); structural design and analysis (IXGEN [22] and M4 Structures Studio [23]); geometry and layout (OpenVSP [24] for initial geometry; Rhino for final geometry); and high-fidelity aerodynamic loading (OVERFLOW [25] and FUN3D [26]).…”

“…NDARC was used to size the three, six-passenger vehicles to the same mission. SIMPLI-FLYD [21] was then utilised to generate the bare airframe model. Flight control systems were synthesised using CONDUIT [92] to a common set of handling qualities-oriented guidelines following a multi-objective function optimisation procedure.…”

Handling Qualities in Rotorcraft Conceptual Design

“…In this context, the scope of the present work is to extend an existing rotorcraft conceptual design tool, NDARC (NASA software for Design and Analysis of RotorCraft), developed by Wayne Johnson's team [14], to enhance the early design process taking into account the evaluation of HQs, and letting the results of this evaluation influence the design process. The proposed approach is to some extent similar to the one presented in the works of Lawrence et al [17][18][19], in the form of the SIMPLI-FLYD software package: in both cases, the capabilities of NDARC are exploited to form the central piece of a design tool able to comprehend HQs' analysis. Two primary differences with respect to SIMPLI-FLYD and the current approach can be highlighted.…”