|
Green Rotorcraft
The future of Rotorcraft
Rotorcraft operations are expected to grow sharply in the future to meet the increasing demands of European citizens:
- medical service for safe and quick transport of patients and living organs needed for transplantation;
- passenger transport from city heliports to airports, and also between cities or areas where an efficient surface transport network cannot be developed for geographical or economical reasons.
|
Green Rotorcraft and the Environmental Impact
The Rotorcraft ITD will deliver innovative rotor blades and novel turbine engine installation for noise reduction. The demonstration of diesel engine integration, airframe drag minimisation features and advanced electrical systems will enable the reduction of fuel consumption and elimination of noxious hydraulic fluids.
Areas of Technology Development
External noise reduction
- Rotor blades: passive optimisation and active control techniques to minimise impulsive air loads hence the radiated noise;
- Turboshaft engine installation: design of air intakes and exhaust nozzles to mask or absorb the noise especially in hover and low speed flight conditions.
Cleaner and more efficient power use
- Airframe: design features of cabin volume, tail unit, rotor pylon and hub for the reduction of aerodynamic drag and download in cruise flight conditions.
- Engine integration, based on two complementary activities: adaptation of Diesel engine technology to light helicopters and turboshaft engine installation optimised for minimal power loss.
- Electrical systems: new architecture enabling energy management optimisation on helicopters, implementing generic principles and architecture developed within the Eco-Design ITD.
|
|
Environment-friendly flight paths
- Optimisation of the Take Off and Landing Procedures:
Rotorcraft operations to and from helipads/airports located within densely populated areas will be implemented to significantly reduce external noise and fuel consumption.
- Optimisation of the Mission Profiles:
Specific tools and methodologies will be implemented to define mission profiles requiring lower fuel consumption and reduced NOX and CO2 emissions.
|
- Optimisation of Flight Procedures for Tilt Rotor Configurations:
These procedures will enable the minimisation of the tilt rotor noise footprint during approach and departure.
- Optimisation of Low Altitude Navigation:
For low altitude navigation needed on short flights and for non-pressurised cabins, noise impact minimisation will be achieved by 3D optimised VFR and IFR routes relying on accurate GNSS navigation (EGNOS, Galileo).
|
