Characteristics, Causes, and Evaluation of Helicopter Particulate Visual Obstruction

Abstract

A comprehensive approach to evaluation of rotorcraft brownout under degraded visual environmental conditions is presented. The results of a literature search covering the current state of brownout research are summarized. The brownout dust cloud generated by modern rotorcraft is analyzed and characterized using photographic and video data, coupled with examination of previous computer modeling techniques. A modeling analysis is performed in order to relate aircraft design and operating parameters to brownout dust cloud size is performed. The effect of vorticity in brownout dust cloud rollup is included. An augmented rating scale for pilot assessment is proposed for operational use, and the results are presented for designers and operators to approximate brownout performance of existing and future rotorcraft.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 10, 2012
Accession Number
ADA565391

Entities

People

  • Michael P. Sullivan

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerodynamic Characteristics
  • Aeronautical Engineering
  • Air Force
  • Aircraft Design
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computers
  • Engineering
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Flow Fields
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Spreadsheet Software
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Aviation Safety Risk Assessment.
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.