Helicopter stabilizer optimization considering rotor downwash in forward-flight

Purpose The paper aims to reduce the aerodynamic drag of a rotorcraft stabilizer in forward flight by taking into account downwash effects from the main rotor wake (power-on conditions). Design/methodology/approach A shape design methodology based on numerical optimization, CAD-in-the-loop (CAD: computer-aided design) approach and high-fidelity Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools was set-up and applied to modify the horizontal empennage of a rotorcraft configuration. This included the integration of both commercial and in-house computer-aided engineering tools for parametric geometry handling, adaptive mesh generation, CFD solution and evolutionary optimization within a robust evaluation chain for the aerodynamic simulation of the different design candidates generated during the automatic design loop. Geometrical modifications addressed both the stabilizer planform and sections, together with its setting angle in cruise configuration, accounting for impacts on the equilibrium, stability and control characteristics of the empennage. Findings An overall improvement of 11.1 per cent over the rotorcraft drag was estimated at the design condition (cruise flight; power-on) for the stabilizer configuration with optimized planform shape, which is increased to 11.4 per cent when combined with the redesigned airfoil to generate the stabilizer surface. Research limitations/implications Critical design considerations are introduced with regard to structural and systems integration issues, and a design candidate alternative is identified and proposed as a compromise solution, achieving 8.3 per cent reduction of the rotorcraft configuration drag in cruise conditions with limited increase in the empennage aspect ratio and leading edge sweep angle when compared to the pure aerodynamic optimal design obtained from genetic algorithm evolution. Originality/value The proposed methodology faces the empennage design problem by explicitly taking into account the effects of main rotor wake impinging the stabilizer surface in forward flight conditions and using an automated optimization approach which directly incorporates professional CAD tools in the design loop.