Introduction

Abstract

Helicopters are important flight vehicles which are prone to high vibration caused by an unsteady aerodynamic environment and highly flexible rotating blades. Such high vibrations can result in damage to structural and avionics components, passenger discomfort, and high maintenance costs. The prediction of vibration is therefore a major problem in helicopter engineering. The rotating beam is the fundamental mathematical model for the helicopter rotor blade. Rotor aeroelastic analysis codes typically use rotating beam models, and knowledge of these structures is very necessary for the helicopter dynamics researchers. Typically, calculation of rotating frequencies, blade response, and aeroelastic stability are the key components of helicopter aeroelastic analysis.