Structural Sizing of a Rotorcraft Fuselage using an Integrated Design Approach

Abstract

Many years the primary design objective of new helicopters was the design of the main rotor(s). Within the last couple of years, this approach has changed into an assessment of all helicopter components as an overall system, thus turning rotorcraft design into a highly interdisciplinary process. Aerodynamics, flight mechanics, structural evaluation, etc. strongly affect each other and these mutual influences are taken into account from the very first design stages. However, weight prediction in early stages still represents an essential part of the design process as it determines the basic properties of the rotorcraft. Due to its function to carry crew and payload as well as to serve as the central mounting for all components, the fuselage represents a major part of the rotorcraft, therefore the structural design of the fuselage airframe constitutes a significant factor of the rotorcraft design at preliminary level.