Some measured and calculated effects of a tip vortex modification device on impulsive noise

The results of a recent wind tunnel test program to evaluate the effectiveness of the Tip Air Mass Injection (TAMI) system in modifying the blade tip vortex occurring during helicopter flight is described with attention to the effect of this modification on the impulsive noise. The measurement program is explained, and the correlation between experimental and predicted results is discussed. Topics considered include the effect of descent rate on noise pressure time histories, the effect of air mass injection on noise, and the analysis based on a dB(A) weighted approach. Impulsive noise generated by the interaction of a helicopter rotor blade and the concentrated tip vortex during forward flight descent is a primary contributor to acoustic annoyance as it draws early attention to the presence of the helicopter.