Thanks for commenting! I agree, helicopters are amazing machines. I'm always fascinated to see how flexible the blades are, but to realize how stiff they become under CF loads.

Mechanical mixing units are works of art! And complicated... and really difficult to animate 🙂

im currently working on something for Unreal Engine i dont understand how a helicopter pitches left and right haha@@bzig4929

Thank you!

hi wbwilhite, have you become a flat earther yet?

Absolutely! Even more so when you think that most of the complex systems around us came before computers, 3d modeling and simulations.

@@flat-earther Since 1975, I have been around the world multiple times by air and sea. To me, the world appears round. If I ever get to outer space, I will likely see it again, that the Earth is a sphere. How about you?

I will try one in Africa kenya

@@wbwilhite okay. I became a flat earther in 2020 BTW wbwilhite, what do you think about all gubments drawing a line around you and saying you are not allowed to leave?(Antarctic Treaty) If you don't know what I mean, read my about tab.

and it needs to be reliable, crazy engineering

Lots of try-and-errors lead to this state of the art engineering

I think modern helicopter design started with the work of Igor Sikorsky although exploration had been going on for many years before his first designs in the 1930's. (based on memory only)

it wasn't a single person (or company), it all started with the autogyro and then the flaws were worked out by many different people.

sikorsky was late in the game when it came to rotor systems, he perfected the helicopter design (main rotor with single tail rotor)@@user-vp1sc7tt4m

I'm on it!

Remember, the controls are phased 90 degrees from what you'd think. To control the pitch of the helicopter, the cyclic is "active" while the blades are perpendicular to forward flight. Also, I've never seen a head with "flap" pivots. The blades would droop to the ground when not turning.

I always thought the tail rotor did that but then again I know nothing lol

​@@sc0tte1-416it does but what I think he is meaning is pitch left and right. As you are pitched say forward at full collective, as the blades are at the rear they are at the maximum pitch, as they come forward they become flatter all depending on how much lift is needed. So I think he means left and right cyclic / stick or pitch. Not turn.

Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment!

Good catch! This should have a component called a "drive scissors" that connects the rotating swashplate to the mast. The drive scissors is what drags the swashplate along to match the rotation of the rotors. I had a difficult time figuring out the relationship for movement of the scissors, so I did not animate it. I have another video with the scissors included. Thanks!

Some larger helos, those with advanced flight controls, have a pedal trim feature. In these aircraft the pedals auto trim to a position selected by the pilot or the flight control computers. The pilot can retrim via a button on the cyclic control, or with microswitches on the pedals. In most smaller helicopters, the pedals do not trim to center... They stay (via friction) where the pilot last positioned them. On these aircraft the friction is usually adjustable.

The cyclic, even on small helos, generally has a trim feature that returns to the pilot select trim position. On more advanced aircraft, the pilot, or the computers, can adjust the trim position. For example, if a helo has a attitude retention feature, the computers can continually readjust the trim to hold pitch and roll attitude. Generally (different designs treat this differently) attitude retention is done via trim, wheras rate stabilization is done downstream of the pilot controls and does not move the trim position.

@@bzig4929 Pedal trim switch is usually on the collective, not the cyclic control.

1. When you take pressure off the foot pedal the pedal (and tail rotor pitch) should stay where you left it (by design). If it moves then maintenance needs to make adjustments. 2. In helicopters with cables that make the tail rotor pitch changes there is a special spring mechanism as a safety precaution if one cable breaks the other cable still has some control authority. 3. Yes, the cyclic has a spring mechanism (and magnetic brake) which is part of the force trim system. When engaged the cyclic control stays where you leave it.

I think the way the coax works is the "stationary" swashplate of the upper rotor is not actually stationary, but it rotates with the lower rotating swashplate. That would be a fun project to 3d model.

Yep. The animation is very similar to the way Sikorsky builds these things.

Well....there is video of a MH-60 cutting off its own refueling snorkel in an aerial refueling mishap. It survived, though probably with a good shimmy to it. Of course that is a LARGE military aircraft, so its built to withstand things most crafts will never see, like being shot at. The blades of a helicopter need some give to them, you dont want them to be too rigid or they'll shatter as they encounter forces around the cyclic....uh cycle. So the bend along the length is very much a design choice. the lead/lag dampeners are also a mitigation to allow the rotor to engage in some not that good for itself geometry and return to normal without too much issue. Some helis have counter weights at the blade mounting point that will counter flap to help disperse the energy of the flap and keep everything spinning right. As far as the rest of the mast and control structure.....well the mast itself supports at least the maximum takeoff weight of the craft, plus maneuvering forces as the fuselage is basically a pendulum under the rotor disk. The hub has to keep the blades from flying away via centrifugal force, and translate their lift to the vertical mast (remember the blades are the wings, they are airfoils that are moving through the air via rotation instead of linear motion. Also, helicopters do not create lift, they beat the air into submission😉). The part on top that keep the rotor hub from flying off the mast is colloquially known as 'the Jesus nut' because if you bust that nut, you're going to meet Jesus. Its the same as a plane losing its wings, the rest of the craft tries to hang in the air in exactly the same way that bricks dont. Usually with the same results.... The control linkages......are RIDICULOUSLY strong AND light. Every ounce counts when a rotor craft can fly laterally for hours, but only hover for 30 minutes. At least when its moving forward lift efficiencies take over and save fuel. But a dead hover just CHEWS through fuel like you wouldnt believe. Especially for the big birds. I cant quote you tensile strength numbers because honestly I dont know. But with forces like all of that involved, its safe to assume that while some compliance is built into some of the pieces, they are still incredibly strong. So, not very fragile at all. In fact, its the rotating balance of the rotor disk that is the most important. If thats out of whack, you better get to the ground before physics decides thats enough flying for you today.

@@zombieregime hi zombieregime, have you become a flat earther yet?

They are surprisingly robust considering the other design aim is to make them as light weight with as little metal as possible. There is 3000 psi of hydraulic pressure pushing those bits up and down. If it all stays straight it can take the flight loads with margin to spare.

I did that a couple of weeks ago. Check out my helicopter playlist. Thanks!

@@bzig4929 i saw the video of how the cyclic moves and how the swashplate responds but i mean like the rods between the cyclic and the swashplate

Oh... I understand. That would be cool. These large helicopters have so much mixing in the controls, it would be very challenging to animate that. Maybe I can start with a smaller helicopter, with no mixing. I'll start working on it! But I've got a few other things I want to do before I get to that.

@@bzig4929 i have a diagram of the cyclic and collective, theres pedals but they're simple so not much use

You're comparing real technology to the retro encabulator? I'm fascinated by this. I think what you're saying is that everyday things can be so complex that they cause anxiety, but if we cover up the guts of the technology, so it's out of sight, then we're ok with it.

@@bzig4929 huh??? I'm not comparing anything. This was just a joke mate ... I think this animation is brilliant...

Oh, sorry... my reply was also an attempt at humor. Love the turbo encabulator 😉

He was also the first to propose the tail rotor for anti-torque. Thanks for commenting!

Elastomeric bearings have been used for many years in helicopter rotor systems.

Flapping isn't controlled. It's an aerodynamic and inertial response to the control moments generated through blade feathering.

@@bzig4929 Ah yes, thank you sir! Superb video! ❤️👏

This is a very good observation. Control inputs are at one-per revolution, but it's not practical to move the controls this fast when the rotor is operating at a flight RPM. As you point out... something would break.

Also with noting... helicopters of the future may have higher harmonic control... where rotor control can be at frequencies higher than one-per-rev. The vision is HHC inputs will give airplane like ride quality using small high frequency inputs.

@@bzig4929 何故ローターを高周波振動させなくてはならないのですか？ 軍事兵器としては壊れないことが第一です、それを貧弱な部品で故障率を上げようとするのですか？ 軍事兵器としてはローターを一回転中にピッチを振動させるのではなく、ローターのピッチを固定して回転シャフトのほうを動かしたほうが頑丈に作れます。

I like it! I've been thinking about expanding this video with exactly what you suggest.

Keep watching videos! We have faith in you!

www.youtube.com/@octoberskyshow

that's cool if you want to use the content inside one of your vids. I have done strikes against videos where it's just a 100% copy, but other than that I don't.

@@bzig4929 Thank you very much for your kindness. I will send you the video before I publish it.

Yes! You are correct, but there is another influence. As the advancing blade generates more lift, some of this increase in lift causes the blade to flap upward, this changes the direction of the relative wind in a way that reduces lift. The purpose of the flapping hinge is to allow this and balance the disyemmetey of lift caused by the advancing and retreating sides.