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Development in helicopter tail boom strake applications in the USThe use of a strake or spoiler on a helicopter tail boom to beneficially change helicopter tail boom air loads was suggested in the United States in 1975. The anticipated benefits were a change of tail boom loads to reduce required tail rotor thrust and power and improve directional control. High tail boom air loads experienced by the YAH-64 and described in 1978 led to a wind tunnel investigation of the usefullness of strakes in altering such loads on the AH-64, UH-60, and UH-1 helicopters. The wind tunnel tests of 2-D cross sections of the tail boom of each demonstrated that a strake or strakes would be effective. Several limited test programs with the U.S. Army's OH-58A, AH-64, and UH-60A were conducted which showed the effects of strakes were modest for those helicopters. The most recent flight test program, with a Bell 204B, disclosed that for the 204B the tail boom strake or strakes would provide more than a modest improvement in directional control and reduction in tail rotor power.
Document ID
19890000688
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Wilson, John C.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Kelley, Henry L.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Donahue, Cynthia C.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Yenni, Kenneth R.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 5, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1988
Subject Category
Aircraft Stability And Control
Report/Patent Number
NASA-TM-101496
AVSCOM-TM-88-B-014
NAS 1.15:101496
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Conference on Helicopter Handling Qualities and Control
Location: London
Start Date: November 15, 1988
End Date: November 17, 1988
Accession Number
89N10059
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 505-61-51-10
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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