Helicopter tail boom with venting for alleviation and control of tail boom aerodynamic loads and method thereof

US6352220B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Daniel W. Banks · Rancho Cordova, US
• Henry L. Kelley · Newport News, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 2, 2000
• Grant date: Mar 5, 2002
• Expiry date: Jun 2, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B64C2027/8245
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is a flight vehicle tail assembly having an exterior surface, at least one first vent in the exterior surface, at least one second vent in the exterior surface, and an air passage connecting the at least one first vent to the at least one second vent allowing air to flow therebetween. Where the at least one first vent is located near a high air pressure area acting on the exterior surface during a range of predefined flight conditions. Further, the at least one second vent is located near a low air pressure area acting on the exterior surface during the predefined flight conditions. So that at the predefined flight conditions adverse loads on the tail assembly are reduced by venting air from the high pressure area, through the tail assembly, to the low pressure area. The method of the present invention includes the steps of: receiving air through the at least one first vent in the exterior surface, passing the air through the tail assembly from the at least one first vent to at least one second vent in the exterior surface, and ejecting the air out of the tail assembly at the at least one second vent.