HELICOPTER FLIGHT MECHANICS AND HANDLING QUALITIES STUDIES AT THE ONERA SYSTEMS DEPARTMENT

To improve helicopter performance and handling qualities and to decrea se pilot workload are very important objectives for helicopter industr y and research centers, in particular for the difficult conditions of hovering and low speed flight. To reach these goals, it is necessary: to have very precise mathematical models for both steady and dynamic h elicopter behaviour; to study advanced concepts such as fly by wire or fly by light, and advanced control laws; to define and study new hand ling qualities criteria (ADS 33C) for helicopters equipped with these advanced concepts; to have simulation tools (ground based simulation a nd flight test) to study the phenomena, to validate models and new con cepts. Research studies, funded by the French MOD and by Eurocopter Fr ance, are performed at the ''ONERA - Ecole de l'Air'' laboratory in Sa lon-de-Provence to improve helicopter non-linear models, to study and improve helicopter handling qualities and to improve helicopter perfor mance. This paper presents the studies with the main results already o btained and the future activities such as the flight tests planned on the Dauphin 6075 at the Istres Flight Test Center.