2009 - 2010
New York State
Science Olympiad
Pilot Event
Helicopter Duration
Sponsored by Empire State Chapter AHS I’ntl:
Helicopter Duration
1.
2.
3.
4.
DESCRIPTION
CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS
THE COMPETITION
SCORING
National Science Education Standard:
http://www.soinc.org/events/wrightstuff
State Event Is Sponsored By
The Empire State Chapter of the American Helicopter
Society International http://www.NYVTOL.org
1. DESCRIPTION:
Teams of one or two persons will
construct and test
free flight rubber-powered helicopters
to achieve maximum flight times.
2. CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS:
a. DESIGN:
b. MATERIALS:
c. MASS:
d. ROTORS:
e. CONSTRUCTION:
f. TRANSMISSION:
g. POWER:
h. MARKING:
2.a. DESIGN
Helicopters may be constructed from:
• Published plan(s) = OK
• Commercial kits = OK
• Student’s Original Design = OK
NO LIMITATION: Wide Open
NOTE: See also 2.e. Construction.
Commercially available rotors or propellers shall not be used.
2.b. MATERIALS
Construct ONLY from:
•
•
•
•
wood
paper
plastic film covering
Glue
Components May be attached using:
•
•
•
•
•
thread
music wire
malleable wire
paper or plastic tubes
rubber bands
May use:
• Plastic or rubber o-rings to
attach the motor to the
helicopter rotor(s)
May NOT use:
• Pre-glued joints
• Pre-covered surfaces
See also 2.e. Construction
Refers to Commercial Kits
2.b. MATERIALS (Continued)
JB Weld and other Epoxy Resins (Glues) May be used as a glue to fasten pieces
together but not as major structural members (ie a motor stick or spar)
Roller bearings may be used and have no limit on type.
Plastic bushings may be used and may also be commercially available.
No Metal for anything other than bearings and connecting wires. But this is still
pretty broad. Prop shafts connect things, so do motor hooks. But certainly
not as a wing spar or structural member like that.
No Fiberglass. Glass is not listed as allowed in Para 2.b
Foam (Styrofoam etc) is not allowed as a structural member like a rotor blade,
spar, etc. Foam is a plastic and could be used as a connecting material.
Plastic is acceptable for connecting tubes, film covering and o-rings. The rules do
NOT allow plastic tubes as a structural member, only connecting device.
Composites such as carbon fiber are NOT allowed. Composites of the basic
materials (wood, glue, paper, plastic film) meet the rule as I see it.
Tapes may be used because they are a composite or combination of glue and
paper or glue and plastic film.
2.c. MASS
Total mass of the helicopter throughout
the flight, excluding the rubber motor,
must be 4.0 grams or more.
4.0 grams or more at all times
(Excluding Rubber Motor)
2.d. ROTORS
Rotors = surfaces that contribute lift by
rotating around a vertical axis.
•
•
•
•
•
Use up to three fixed pitch rotors.
40.0 cm Max Rotor diameter
No maximum number of Rotor Blades
No maximum Rotor Blade Chord
No other lifting surfaces are permitted.
2.d. ROTORS (Continued)
Hub
Thrust
Drag
Blade
Rotors require power
to spin the blades,
develop thrust and to
overcome blade drag.
2.d. ROTORS (Continued)
Hub = Center of rotation, used to attach Rotor
Blades
Rotor Blades = Primary lifting agent in Rotor
using airfoil cross section and rotational
velocity to generate Lift
Lift = (coefficient of lift)(Q)(S)
(coefficient of lift) = An expression of how well an airfoil produces Bernoullian lift
(Q) = ½ Rho (Density Ratio) times the square of the velocity of the relative wind
(S) = The surface area of the airfoil
Angle of Attack = Relation between Blade
Cross Section and Airflow, used to
determine coefficient of lift
Thrust = sum of Lift from Rotor Blades
2.d. ROTORS (Continued)
Fixed Pitch = Each blade installed in Hub at
set Angle of Attack (AoA), Thrust is varied
by rotational speed, not control of AoA
Rotor Radius = Distance from center of Hub
to tip of Rotor Blades
Rotor Blade Chord = Distance from Leading
Edge of Rotor Blade to Trailing Edge
Blade Cross Section = Airfoil shape used to
generate lift
Chord
2.e. CONSTRUCTION
Students shall construct the rotors
themselves.
Commercially available rotors or
propellers shall not be used.
(Building/Designing the rotors is the single biggest challenge of this event)
Bearings, rotor thrust bearings may be
commercially available items.
2.f. TRANSMISSION
Between Rubber Motor and the Rotors:
• No gears
• No pulleys
• No rollers *
• No means of changing mechanical
advantage
Rotor Thrust Bearings are allowed by 2.e. Construction
* Roller Bearing type Rotor Thrust Bearings are OK !
2.g. POWER
The helicopter will be powered by rubber
motor(s) not exceeding a total mass of 2.0
grams (including any attachments such as o-rings).
The motor(s) will be massed separately from
the helicopter.
Motors may be lubricated before and/or after
check-in. (lube has weight)
Motors will be massed at check-in, and
officials will clearly mark and impound
qualified motors, which will be made
available to the team for official flights.
2.h. MARKING
Each helicopter must be labeled in such
a way as to be easily identified by the
event supervisor.
3. THE COMPETITION:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
FLYING SPACE:
SPORTSMANSHIP:
FLIGHT LOGS:
PRACTICE FLIGHTS:
(self-check inspection)
(Motor Winder)
CHECK IN and PREPARATION:
FLIGHTS:
(Flight Period - 8 minutes)
MOTORS:
TIMING:
CONCURRENT FLIGHTS:
STEERING:
3.a. FLYING SPACE:
The event must be held indoors.
The room dimensions shall be made available
to teams in advance of the competition.
(approximate length, width and ceiling height)
Directors and supervisors are urged to
minimize the effects of environmental
factors such as air currents (e.g., doors,
fans) by pre-arranging for ventilation to be
turned off, windows to remain closed, and
doors to be kept closed during flights.
3.b. SPORTSMANSHIP:
No persons may attempt to give teams
outside assistance, materials or
communication, once teams enter the
flight room on the day(s) of Helicopter
Duration competition,
This applies to any trim periods as well as
during the official flying schedule.
Teams violating this rule will be disqualified.
Competitors may offer assistance to other
teams.
A separate area will be designated for
spectators, who may not interact with the
teams except with encouragement.
3.c. FLIGHT LOGS:
Each team must present flight log of recorded data
during inspection.
Data will include at least 6 parameters for at least ten
test flights prior to the competition.
The three required parameters to be recorded are:
1)
2)
3)
motor size before windup,
number of turns on the motor at launch,
flight time.
The team must choose 3 additional data parameters.
for example, turns remaining after landing,
estimated/recorded peak flight height, estimated
flight path diameter, the torque at launch, etc.
Flight Logs are returned to the team members after
inspection.
See also 3.g. Check-in & Preparation
3.d. PRACTICE FLIGHTS:
At the Event Supervisor’s discretion,
practice flights may occur
throughout the event but will yield to
any official flight.
Multiple practice flights may occur at
the same time.
No trim (practice) flights will be
permitted in the last half-hour of the
event.
3.e. SELF CHECK INSPECTION:
A self-check inspection station may be
made available to competitors for
checking their helicopters prior to
being checked by the judges.
3.f. MOTOR WINDER:
The use of any type of motor winder is
permitted.
3.g. CHECK-IN & PREPARATION:
Inspection for each team will take place 15
minutes prior to that team’s 2 official
flights.
Team members will present their event
materials during their inspection.
(at most TWO helicopters, any number of motors, and flight log)
The official timer will dispense each team’s
approved motors during said team’s
official flights. (lube the rubber-band just before winding)
Timers will be assigned to accompany and
observe teams as they prepare for flight,
wind their motors and fly.
3.h. FLIGHTS:
Teams may make up to a total of 2
official flights using one or two
helicopters.
If you break the helicopter on the first official attempt, the 8minute timer does not stop. Having a second helicopter
would be a very good thing. Expect to break the helicopter
on every flight.
3.i. FLIGHT PERIOD = 8 MINUTES:
Teams will be given an 8 minute "Flight Period",
starting when their first official flight begins, to
launch their official flights.
Any flight beginning within the 8-minute period will
be permitted to fly to completion.
Participants may make adjustments/repairs/trim
flights during their official 8-minute period.
Teams must declare before any launches during their
8-minute flight period as whether it is an official
flight or trim flight.
Teams will not be given extra time to recover or to
repair their helicopter(s).
(Another reason why having 2 helicopters would be a good thing)
3.j. MOTORS:
The official timer will allow the team
members to select a motor for each
official flight from their approved
motors.
NOTE:
If a motor is broken while winding, selecting another
motor will be acceptable. This assumes that you
brought and qualified more than the minimum
number of motors for two official flights.
Breaking several motors is NOT unheard of.
3.k. TIMING:
The judges will measure and record the
"Time Aloft" to the nearest tenth of a
second for each flight.
Time Aloft for each flight starts when
the helicopter leaves the student’s
hand and will stop when any part of
the helicopter touches the floor or is
arrested on or in any object, or when
the judges have determined the flight
has ended.
3.l. CONCURRENT FLIGHTS:
The Event Supervisor may permit other
official flights during the flight of another
team’s helicopter once the prior helicopter
has started its descent.
In the unlikely event of a collision with
another helicopter, teams may elect to refly that flight.
The decision to re-fly may be made after the
helicopter lands.
Re-flights shall not be limited by the 8-minute
flight envelope. (Key point)
3.m. STEERING:
Steering the helicopter during flight is
prohibited.
4. SCORING:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Bonus:
Incomplete flight logs
Missing flight logs
Rules Violations
4.a. BONUS SCORING:
State Competitions:
15% of the flight time will be added if the
helicopter uses only two rotors.
National Competition:
30% of the flight time will be added if the
helicopter uses only one rotor.
4.b. ANTI-BONUS SCORING:
Incomplete flight logs
10% of their flight time deducted from each flight.
Missing flight logs
30% of their flight time deducted from each flight.
Rules Violations
Teams with rule violations that do not have a
specific penalty will be ranked after all teams
that do not violate those rules.
Back Up
Contact Information
Nathan Meehan
Student Affairs/Scholarship Chair
Empire State Chapter, AHS International
nathan.meehan@lmco.com
607-751-1937
David Marcus
Head of Rotor Design
Marcus.David@sacusa.com
607-378-4769
Clark W. Smith
clark.smith@lmco.com
607-751-2234
Treasurer, Empire State Chapter, AHS International
http://www.nyvtol.org/