What is the best helicopter rotor design?

Question

What is the best helicopter rotor design?

Answer 1

It depends on what you want the helicopter to do. If you want a smooth ride then the Eurocpter 155 with its 5 bladed system is the best at the moment. If you are after lifting power then the twin main rotor K-Max is the best weight for weight.

The most powerful main rotors were designed by the Russians on their Mil helicopters.

Answer 2

If you are talking about the main rotor system Lockheed developed the "rigid rotor" system back in the sixties, which was and is one of the best systems developed in rotary-wing flight. For commercial applications a variety of composites are used in rotor design. The Apache uses "kevlar" for instance, remember that helicopters are unusually high in maintenance in cost per hour. The 3 best commercial helicopters are the Eurocopter, Sikorsky S-76, and The French Dauphin II

Answer 3

Right now,the fully articulated is the best in wide use. There are others that are better but are very expensive, mostly experimental and are pretty much limited to military applications.

Answer 4

IMHO the best rotor design (rotor blades) is on the EH-101.  It has a highly advanced technology tip, which allows a shorter rotor.  This allows for higher RPM, which makes the inboard part of the rotor more efficient by allowing it to have higher speed.  It also helps reduce retreating blade stall at higher aircraft speeds.  One disadvantage is greater downwash in the hover, as the rotordisk is a smaller, it must move the air downwards faster to lift the helo.

Answer 5

The best rotors are onboard the EH101 and the V-22 Osprey.