Dynamic Interface - Conventional Flight Testing Plus A New Analytical Approach

Helicopter shipboard operations have increased dramatically over the last 40 years; just as fixed wing airplane operations did during their first 40 years. The "can do" attitude used in making early helicopter shipboard landings has been replaced by a dynamic interface flight test program designed to achieve maximum operational capability and maximum safety. Although many dynamic interface envelopes have been developed using conventional flight testing, there is currently a large backlog of helicopter/ship combinations requiring testing. A new approach to the dynamic inter face problem has been initiated, which emphasizes accelerated conventional testing in the near term and developing an analytical capability for shipboard landings in the long term. The new analytical approach requires the development of a shipboard landing data base plus improvements to the current state-of-art in helicopter shipboard landing simulation. The long term goal of the analytical approach to the dynamic interface problem is to be able to substitute a major portion of the current flight test effort with simulation and analysis.