POWER AND PERFORMANCE
Objectives
• Power
• Type of power
• Types of power required
• Factors effecting power available and required
• Density altitude
• AUW (all up weight)
• Limited power
• Other factors affecting performance
• Summary
Power
Power is the rate of doing work
Work = A force move an object from A to B
Work = Force X Distance
Work = Drag X Distance
Power = Drag X Distance Power = Drag X Velocity
Time
Type of Power
TYPE OF POWER
• Power Available
power which engine can produce and depends on engine
performance
[Link] and density altitude
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•Power Required
It’s the power required to balance the drag available or
any thing need power from engine
Types Of Power Required
• Rotor profile power
Power required to drive rotor at constant nr at
minimum pitch, and drive equipment such as hydraulic
pumps, generators and to drive the tail rotor
• Induced power
Is the Power required to produce lift
• Parasite power
Power required to overcome parasite drag
POWER REQUIRED CURVE
Total Power Required
Power
Parasite
Power
Rotor Profile
Power
Induced Power
IAS
Power Required And Power Available Curve
Power Available
Power
Power Margin Max Power Margin
Power required
Vmax
Minimum power
VMP Best ROC Speed VY VMD Maximum range IAS
Factors Affecting Power Available And Required
• Density Altitude
• All-up-weight (AUW)
Density Altitude
Effects Of Increasing Density Altitude Curve
Power Total power required increase
Power available
reduce
Power
margin
reduce
Parasite power increase
Rotor Profile
Power increase
Induced power increase
IAS
All up Weight AUW
• All up Weight (AUW)
The total weight of the aircraft including of all items at
any specific time
The power margin in the hover is reduced by an
increase in AUW
During take off all up weight ( AUW ) must not exceed
the maximum take off weight
Limited Power
• Where there is an excess of power available over
power required at zero speed
The helicopter will be able to ( climb vertically )
• However as altitude increase and/or AUW increase
power available ( Decreases ) and power required ( increases )
the helicopter will eventually experience limited power
Limited Power Curve
Flight in this area Power Available
Power not possible
Power Available Decreases
with Increased DA
Power Margin
Reduces Power Required
Best angle of climb speed
Power Required Increases
With Increased AUW
Minimum forward airspeed for level flight
IAS
Limited Power for landing curve
POWER REQUIRED
Power
power available
power margin
VMIN VMAX
0 20 40 60 70 80 100 IAS
Media
Other Factors Affecting Performance
• Single engine failure
• Icing
• Turbulence
• Sea salt spray
• Ground effect and wind speed
• Configuration
Single Engine Failure
• if one engine of a twin-engine helicopter fails then the power
available will be reduced by half and the helicopter will be flying
in limited power conditions
Icing
• The AUW will increase from
ice accretion on the airframe
, and that will increase
power required
Shape of rotor blade change by ice on leading age
Which reduce performance of the rotor , reducing
the power available
Turbulence
• Surface turbulence at a landing point disturbs the airflow
through the rotor disc so more power is required
• strong turbulence is often encountered when mountain flying
or near other irregular surface obstacle
Sea Salt Spray
• Sea spray dries to salt accretion on the blades of the
engine compressor and can seriously degraded
performance
Ground effect and wind speed
• Hovering in still air and (OGE) the maximum AUW is
limited by the power available
• when hovering (IGE) or in translation lift due to a
wind the power required is reduced
Configuration
External load , hoist operation, floatation gear , flight with doors
open or removed will all lead to increase parasite drag that
mean increase in rotor drag increasing the power required
SUMMARY
• Power
• Type of power
• Types of power required
• Factors effecting power available and required
• Density altitude
• AUW (all up weight)
• Limited power
• Other factors affecting performance
Any Questions?