Cooke A.K., Fitzpatrick E.W.H. Helicopter test and evaluation

Blackwell Science Ltd + QinetiQ Limited, Oxford, 2002, 384 p. — ISBN10: 0632052473, ISBN13:
9780632052479.The authors of this book have been employed at the Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS), part of QinetiQ, for the past ten years instructing student test pilots and flight test engineers on helicopter testing.Alastair Cooke has a masters degree in flight dynamics from Cranfield University and graduated as a flight test engineer from ETPS in 1989.Eric Fitzpatrick is a former military helicopter pilot and instructor who graduated as a test pilot from ETPS in 1986.This book has been produced using the experience of the authors in flight test and flight test training gained over a combined period of 25 years in the field. Much of the material has its origin in the training notes produced by ETPS.These have been developed over a period of over forty years since the start of specific training for helicopter test pilots.The book has been designed to appeal to professionals working in the area of rotorcraft test and evaluation but it is hoped that it will also prove useful to a wider audience.In our experience, we have found that helicopter pilots are generally not well informed about the process that has led to their aircraft entering service, nor about why it has certain limitations imposed on it.W e hope this book will provide pilots with this information as well as being a useful text for practising engineers and technologists.The rotor theory presented is more extensive than is found in most aeronautical degree courses and so the book should prove useful to graduates specializing in rotorcraft technology.P erhaps uniquely, this work approaches this important subject from both the theoretical and practical viewpoints.The Flight Test Process
Performance Theory
Performance Testing
Stability and Control Theory
Stability and Control Testing
Helicopter Systems
Systems Testing