The usefulness of the modern helicopter lies in its unique ability to take-off and land vertically, to hover stationary relative to the ground, and to fly forward, backward, or sideways. These unique flying qualities, however, come at a price including complex aerodynamic problems, significant vibrations, high levels of noise, and relatively large power requirements compared to fixed-wing aircraft. This book, written by an internationally recognized teacher and researcher in the field, provides a thorough, modern treatment of the aerodynamic principles of helicopters and other rotating-wing vertical lift aircraft.The first part of the text begins with a unique technical history of helicopter flight, and then covers basic methods of rotor aerodynamic analysis and related issues associated with helicopter performance and aerodynamic design. The second part is devoted to more advanced topics in helicopter aerodynamics, including the analysis and modeling of airfoil flows, unsteady aerodynamics, dynamic stall, and rotor wakes. Every chapter is lavishly illustrated, and concludes with a full up-to-date bibliography and a set of homework problems. A companion instructor's manual provides solutions to the problems. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as practicing engineers and researchers, will welcome this thorough and modern text on helicopter aerodynamics.
Dr. Leishman is a professor of aerospace enginnering at the University of Maryland. He was previously an aerodynamicist at Westland Helicopters, Ltd. Dr. Leishman is the author of over 100 technical papers on helicopter aerodynamics.
