Vertical Take Off & Landing (VTOL) Aircraft
-A Comparison
Lift / Propulsion / Control Approaches For VTOL Aircraft
(General)
For Shaft-Driven VTOL Aircraft, Need At Least Two Thrusters:
l Fixed Thrusters
> One Main, One Anti-Torque > Two Equal Size (Opposite Rotation)
l Vectored Thrusters
> Thruster Tilting > Exhaust Deflection
Methods of Transition for Various V/STOL Concepts
VTOL Concepts
PURE HELICOPTER
ADVANTAGES
Most Efficient Hover/Loiter Low Downwash Good Low Speed Maneuverability Symmetrical Yaw Control Low Empty Weight
DISADVANTAGES
Low Max Speed Lowest Cruise Efficiency (Range) Limited High Speed Maneuverability Attitude Depends on Speed/Acceleration Rotating Component RCS Highest Vibration Environment Complexity (2 Fixed Thrusters)
THERE ARE MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH ADDING A WING
Thrust Wing Lift Wing "Lift" (Download)
Thrust
Velocity Velocity
Wing Needs Aircraft to be Nose Up to Get Lift
Main Rotor Needs Aircraft to be Nose Down to Get Propulsion
Need to Get Propulsion from Someplace Other than Main Rotor
SOLUTION:
Add a Third Fixed Thruster (Propulsive Thruster) or Use Vectored Thrust
COMPOUND HELICOPTER
(Fixed Thruster)
ADVANTAGES
Good Hover/Loiter Efficiency Low Downwash Faster Than Pure Helicopter Good Maneuverability -- All Speeds Attitude Independent of Speed/Acceleration Symmetrical Yaw Control Reverse Prop Thrust -- All Speeds
DISADVANTAGES
Low Cruise Efficiency (Range) Rotating Component RCS High Vibration Environment Increased Empty Weight Complexity (3 Fixed Thrusters)
COMPOUND HELICOPTER
(Advancing Blade Concept)
ADVANTAGES
Good Hover/Loiter Efficiency Low Downwash Faster Than Pure Helicopter Good Maneuverability -- All Speeds Attitude Independent of Speed/Acceleration Symmetrical Yaw Control No Anti-Torque Rotor Required Reverse Prop Thrust -- All Speeds
DISADVANTAGES
Low Cruise Efficiency (Range) Rotating Component RCS High Vibration Environment Increased Empty Weight Complexity (3 Fixed Thrusters)
COMPOUND HELICOPTER
(Vectored Thruster - Open Prop)
ADVANTAGES
Good Hover/Loiter Efficiency Low Downwash Faster Than Pure Helicopter Good Maneuverability (Except Conversion) Reverse Prop Thrust at High Speed
DISADVANTAGES
Low Cruise Efficiency (Range) Conversion (Limited Agility) Attitude Depends on Acceleration at Low Speed Unprotected Vectored Thruster Rotating Component RCS High Vibration Environment Increased Empty Weight Complexity (1 Fixed + 1 Vectored Thruster)
COMPOUND HELICOPTER
(Vectored Thruster - Ducted Prop)
ADVANTAGES
Good Hover/Loiter Efficiency Low Downwash Faster Than Pure Helicopter Good Maneuverability (Except Conversion) Reverse Prop Thrust at High Speed Ground Safety/Damage (Ducted Prop)
DISADVANTAGES
Low Cruise Efficiency (Range) Conversion (Limited Agility) Limited / Unsymmetrical Yaw Control Attitude Depends on Acceleration at Low Speed Rotating Component RCS High Vibration Environment Complexity (1 Fixed + 1 Vectored Thruster)
CANARD ROTOR WING
ADVANTAGES
Good Hover/Loiter Efficiency Low Downwash Potential for High Subsonic Cruise Good Maneuverability (Except in Conversion) No Anti-Torque Rotor Reduced RCS in High Speed Mode Low Vibration Environment in High Speed Mode
DISADVANTAGES
Limited Maneuverability in Conversion Power for Yaw Control Near Hover Moderate Vibration Environment in Low Speed & Conversion Modes Rotating Component RCS in Low Speed Mode Complexity (Rotor Stopping & Convertible Engine)
TILT ROTOR
ADVANTAGES
Good Hover/Loiter Efficiency Moderate Downwash Good Max Speed Good Cruise Efficiency (Range) Good Maneuverability -- All Speeds Attitude Independent of Speed/Acceleration Ground Safety/Damage (No Tail Rotor)
DISADVANTAGES
Greater Operating Width Conversion (Benign) Rotating Component RCS Moderate Vibration Environment Increased Empty Weight Complexity (2 Vectored Thrusters)
TILT WING
ADVANTAGES
Fair Hover/Loiter Efficiency Faster Than Tilt Rotor Good Cruise Efficiency (Range) Good High Speed Maneuverability Attitude Independent of Speed/Acceleration Symmetrical Yaw Control
DISADVANTAGES
Marginal Downwash Conversion (Limited Corridor) Rotating Component RCS Increased Empty Weight Complexity (1 Fixed + 2 Vectored Thrusters)
TILTING DUCTED FANS
ADVANTAGES
Enclosed Thrusters (Safety) Symmetrical Yaw Control
DISADVANTAGES
Low Hover/Loiter Efficiency Limited Low Speed Maneuverability Conversion (Limited Corridor) High Empty Weight Complexity (1 Fixed + 2 Vectored Thrusters)
FAN-IN-WING
ADVANTAGES
High Max Speed Good Cruise Efficiency (Range) Attitude Independent of Speed/Acceleration Good RCS (High Speed Mode) Low Vibration Environment
DISADVANTAGES
Low Hover/Loiter Efficiency High Downwash / Temperature Limited Low Speed Maneuverability Conversion (Limited Corridor) High Empty Weight Complexity (3 Vectored Thrusters)
VECTORED JET LIFT
ADVANTAGES
Highest Max Speed Highest Cruise Efficiency (Range) Excellent High Speed Maneuverability Attitude Independent of Speed/Acceleration Symmetrical Yaw Control Low Vibration Environment Moderate Empty Weight
DISADVANTAGES
Poor Hover/Loiter Efficiency Extreme Downwash / Temperature Limited Low Speed Maneuverability Conversion (Benign) Rotating Component RCS (Forward) Jet Exhaust IR Complexity (1 Thruster + 8 Nozzles)
Summary
VTOL Aircraft Are Inherently More Complex Than Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) Aircraft
Mechanization Required to Change Direction of Thrust With Respect to Aircraft Additional Controllers (e.g., Collective Stick, Conversion)
Best VTOL Concept Only Has Meaning in the Context of the Mission to be Performed
What Do You Need Most? Hover Time, Fast Cruise, Long Range, . . . ? What Do You Have Available? Runway, . . . ?
Comparison of Different Types of V/STOL Platforms
VTOL Concept Features Examples Hover / Loiter / Ground Ops Efficiency (Endurance) Downwash / Temperature Ground Ops Protection Cruise / Dash Max Speed (Dash) Cruise Efficiency (Range) Maneuverability / Agility Low Speed High Speed Conversion Attitude vs Accel (Low Speed) Reverse Thrust Capability Yaw Control Survivability RCS (Low Speed Mode) RCS (High Speed Mode) IR (Engine Exhaust) Cost / Supportability Vibration Environment Empty Weight Complexity (Min # of Thrusters)
Highest Low 2 Fixed High Increased 3 Fixed Very High Increased 2 Fixed High Increased 1 Fixed + 1 Vectored High Increased 1 Fixed + 1 Vectored Moderate Increased 2 Vectored --Increased 1 Fixed + 2 Vectored Moderate Increased Convertible Engine Low High 3 Vectored Low Moderate 1 Thruster + 8 Nozzles Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Doors / Louvers Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Rotating Blade Lowest Power Low Power Low Power Low Power Low Power Low Power Medium Power Good High Power Good High Power Short Inlet Short Inlet Short Exhaust Good Limited --Coupled --Symmetrical Good Good --Independent All Speeds Symmetrical Good Good --Coupled --Symmetrical Good Good Coupled High Speed Symmetrical Good Good Coupled High Speed Limited / Unsymmetrical Good Good Benign Independent --Symmetrical Fair Good Independent High Speed Symmetrical Limited Good Independent --Limited Good Independent --Limited Excellent Benign Independent --Symmetrical Low Lowest > Helicopter Low > Helicopter Low > Helicopter Low > Helicopter Low Good Good > Tilt Rotor Good High Good High Good Highest Highest Best Low Optional Good Low Open Prop Good Low No Anti-Torque Good Low Open Prop Good Low Ducted Prop Good Moderate --Fair Marginal Optional Low Marginal No Anti-Torque Low High --Poor Extreme Jet Exhaust AH-64, RAH-66
Helicopter
Compound
(Tail Rotor + Aux Prop) AH-56
Compound
Compound
Compound
(Vectrd Thrst Ducted Prop) Piasecki VTDP
Tilt Rotor
Tilt Wing
Canard Rotor Fan-in-Wing Wing
Jet Lift
(Advancing (Vectrd Thrst Blade Concept) Open Prop) Sikorsky XH-59 Sikorsky AAFSS
XV-3, XV-15, V-22
CL-84, TW-68, Boeing CRW XC-142
XV-5, Grumman ACAS
AV-8B
Limited Agility Limited Agility
Lmtd Corridor Lmtd Corridor Lmtd Corridor
Limited in Low Symmetrical Speed
Key to Table:
Advantage
Neutral
Disadvantage
