A PERSPECTIVE OF FUTURE ROTORCRAFT TECHNOLOGY

This paper is introduced by considering the changes in the market that will impact future rotorcraft technology development. The main implications for organisations engaged in rotorcraft research, design and development are identified. A perspective of future engineering process technologies is provided together with a review of the prominence and importance of an integrated systems engineering approach to design. A perspective of future engineering product technologies is undertaken by reviewing the priority research and technology programmes at GKN Westland. This review will focus on three particularly important programmes: the next generation rotor blade, avionics and systems developments, and the advanced compound helicopter. Finally, by way of example, the successful application of new product technology to the Anglo-Italian EH101 helicopter is summarised.