Glossary
DUAL ROTOR— A rotor system utilizing two main rotors.
DYNAMIC ROLLOVER— The tendency of a helicopter to continue rolling when the critical angle is exceeded, if one gear is on the ground, and the helicopter is pivoting around that point.
F
FEATHERING— The action that changes the pitch angle of the rotor blades by rotating them around their feathering (spanwise) axis.
FEATHERING AXIS— The axis about which the pitch angle of a rotor blade is varied. Sometimes referred to as the spanwise axis.
FEEDBACK— The transmittal of forces, which are initiated by aerodynamic action on rotor blades, to the cockpit controls.
FLAPPING HINGE— The hinge that permits the rotor blade to flap and thus balance the lift generated by the advancing and retreating blades.
FLAPPING— The vertical movement of a blade about a flapping hinge.
FLARE— A maneuver accomplished prior to landing to slow down a rotorcraft.
FREE TURBINE— A turboshaft engine with no physical connection between the compressor and power output shaft.
FREEWHEELING UNIT— A component of the transmission or power train that automatically disconnects the main rotor from the engine when the engine stops or slows below the equivalent rotor r.p.m.
FULLY ARTICULATED ROTOR SYSTEM— See articulated rotor system.
G
GRAVITY— See weight.
GROSS WEIGHT— The sum of the basic empty weight and useful load.
GROUND EFFECT— A usually beneficial influence on rotorcraft performance that occurs while flying close to the ground. It results from a reduction in upwash, downwash, and bladetip vortices, which provide a corresponding decrease in induced drag.
GROUND RESONANCE— Self-excited vibration occurring whenever the frequency of oscillation of the blades about the lead-lag axis of an articulated rotor becomes the same as the natural frequency of the fuselage.
GYROCOPTER— Trademark applied to gyroplanes designed and produced by the Bensen Aircraft Company.
GYROSCOPIC PRECESSION— An inherent quality of rotating bodies, which causes an applied force to be manifested 90° in the direction of rotation from the point where the force is applied.