Helicopter Flight Dynamics

Flying qualities are now a primary attribute in the requirements for future civil and military rotorcraft to ensure that high performance is achievable with safety, and efforts have therefore been made to establish robust criteria and mature the technologies for highly augmented flight control. This book provides a comprehensive treatment of the flying qualities of civil and military rotorcraft, covering the theoretical background to the dynamics of helicopter flight, the development of handling criteria and new flight test techniques. The Second Edition has been updated and features a new chapter on degraded flying qualities and extended material providing a holistic approach to flying qualities engineering.

Gareth Padfield, a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, is the Bibby Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Liverpool.