PIASECKI AIRCRAFT CORP — Department of Defense SBIR Phase II: A08-121

Description

PiAC proposed research effort and concept air vehicle, the “Air Steed� SQT (Super Quiet Tandem) helicopter, Model PA106 leverages unique attributes of the tandem rotor configuration with a lightly loaded and low tip-speed rotor with flapping freedom. The design and research to explore the low signature of this vehicle is by the formulation of the full-scale hardware. The Air Steed SQT balances the competing demands for lift performance and a low acoustic signature in a stowed footprint that fits in the CV-22. With counter-rotating tandem rotors, canceling torque and freeing all available power for lift, and the inherent low disk loading, the Air Steed SQT has both the hover performance necessary to meet the mission and reduced the acoustic signature. PiAC will conduct the research using high fidelity computer tools and optimization software to assure the mass of the core vehicle does not get adversely effected. The research team will coordinate the key vehicle design and analysis as needed to define the envelopes and limitations of this technology on VTOL aircraft specifically configured for the PRV mission area.