If a single rotor helicopter is sitting on a platform that is rotating

[Red Squirrel]

If a single rotor helicopter is sitting on a platform that is rotating in the opposite direction as the rotor and at the same speed, will it take off?



I personally think it would not take off.

 

[IronWing]

It will fly apart.

 

[Rifter]

It will fly apart.

I agree, just think of the g forces involved......

Ever play on those toys at playgrounds as a kid that were a round platform with a single center bearing and pole into the ground that you could spin around?? I remember my bro spinning me around so fast on one once that i was holding the outer railing and my body was horizontal and my legs were sticking out the side due to gforces involved with the rotation speed. Now multiply that by 100 to get to helicopter rotor speeds..... Thing would fly apart.

 

[Ken g6]

Single rotor helicopters don't fly well in the first place. You need something to counter the rotation of the blades to get off the ground.


So that's a no.

 

[sandorski]

It will fly apart.

If not apart, it would likely wobble off the platform in most dramatic fashion that it would be destroyed.

Assuming neither case is true, the Helicopter would take off. It is a situation like the plane on the treadmill, the helicopter blades rotate independent of the helicopter.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Assuming neither case is true, the Helicopter would take off. It is a situation like the plane on the treadmill, the helicopter blades rotate independent of the helicopter.

But if you are standing on the ground, the blades would not actually be turning in relation to everything else, so they would not generate any kind of lift. At least I think?

But yeah, the entire helicopter spinning at that speed, assuming the rotational centre is the centre of the blade rotor, would mean the whole thing would be totally off balance and probably fly off the platform. So technically, I guess it does take off? Just not very far.

 

[IronWing]

Assuming the helicopter doesn't fly apart or slide off the platform, it will just sit there. The blades will not move relative to the air. Watch out for the tail rotor coming around, that's going to smart.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Single rotor helicopters don't fly well in the first place. You need something to counter the rotation of the blades to get off the ground.


So that's a no.

It's actually a miracle they fly at all, the engineering involved in making them work is pretty crazy. The blades actually have to change pitch throughout a rotation so that the lift is equal on both sides. Then the tail rotor has to keep it pointing the right way. They are not easy to fly, though I imagine modern ones probably have the computer do a lot of the compensations for you so you just have to worry about what direction you want to go. (kinda like a drone)

Which raises another question... could a helicopter keep itself pointed in a certain direction, in space? Technically the rotors would at as reaction wheels. At least two axis anyway.

 

[mrblotto]

I agree, just think of the g forces involved......

Ever play on those toys at playgrounds as a kid that were a round platform with a single center bearing and pole into the ground that you could spin around?? I remember my bro spinning me around so fast on one once that i was holding the outer railing and my body was horizontal and my legs were sticking out the side due to gforces involved with the rotation speed. Now multiply that by 100 to get to helicopter rotor speeds..... Thing would fly apart.

Made me think of this:

 

[sandorski]

But if you are standing on the ground, the blades would not actually be turning in relation to everything else, so they would not generate any kind of lift. At least I think?

But yeah, the entire helicopter spinning at that speed, assuming the rotational centre is the centre of the blade rotor, would mean the whole thing would be totally off balance and probably fly off the platform. So technically, I guess it does take off? Just not very far.

Nope, the rotors would turn as usual.....

 

[Red Squirrel]

Haha that's a classic. Still safer than the Tide Pod challenge.

 

[IronWing]

Nope, the rotors would turn as usual.....

How so?

 

[sandorski]

How so?

Internet srs bizness meme reasons!

 

[sdifox]

If a single rotor helicopter is sitting on a platform that is rotating in the opposite direction as the rotor and at the same speed, will it take off?



I personally think it would not take off.

The occupant will puke all over the place, thus unable to pilot

 

[BxgJ]

Some quick googling gave numbers like 100 g's for 10m blades, if you were on the end. If so, well I wouldn't want to be the pilot, as they would be rotating in this scenario, and not the blades. Might be more than puke that comes out

 

[randay]

The helicopter still takes off. Considering the forces at play the landing skids would just... skid. The end result is the same as the airplane on the treadmill.