Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R03136/01
Title:	Helicopter Response To Vortex Encounters In the Near-Airfield Environment
Principal Investigator:	Brown, Professor RE
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Aeronautics
Organisation:	Imperial College London
Scheme:	Fast Stream
Starts:	01 October 2000	Ends:	30 September 2003	Value (£):	63,049
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Aerodynamics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Aerospace, Defence and Marine Transport Systems and Vehicles
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The possibility of severe encounters with the wakes shed from large transport aircraft is an important consideration in the regulation of helicopter operations near airfields and which simultaneous fixed-wing operations are being conducted. This document proposes a programme of computational research aimed at improving understanding of the physical factors influencing the severity of helicopter - wake interactions, particularly in the near-ground environment. Previous analyses have relied on assumptions of simplified physics to yield tractable numerical approaches, and have not dealt with the specific features of the near-airfield environment in any detail. The proposed approach exploits recent developments in rotor-wake modelling to improve the physical fidelity of simulation of helicopter-wake encounters. The research will have the following practical benefits to the regulatory agencies. Firstly, the error induced in the previous analyses by some of their more significant assumptions will be quantified. Secondly, analytical capability will be extended into the near-ground environment through direct simulation of the presence of the ground, and incorporation of wakes which are representative of the helicopter and fixed wing aircraft during landing or takeoff. The results of these simulations will have direct relevance to the determination of safe limits on the simultaneous operation of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft during their terminal flight phases.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.imperial.ac.uk