Development of a Modeling and Simulation Tool for Rotorcraft/Ship Dynamic Interface Testing

This paper describes an ongoing effort to develop a high fidelity modeling and simulation tool to support rotorcraft/ship dynamic interface testing. The work include (1) enhancement of advanced finite state dynamic wake, free vortex wake, and panel modules for rotor wake/ship deck aerodynamic interaction; (2) integration of unsteady CFD and measured ship airwake data to couple with FLIGHTLAB, a comprehensive rotorcraft simulation program to provide a high fidelity rotorcraft/ship dynamic interface testing solution; (3) development of a rotorcraft shipboard operational limit prediction tool with coupled rotorcraft/ship aerodynamic interaction and integrated flight envelope analysis utilities.