Reliability-Focused Design of Advanced Rotorcraft Configurations

An approach to the conceptual design of rotorcraft is presented which incorporates cost and reliability assessment methods from various multidisciplinary studies to address the cost premium historically associated with vertical flight. The methodology builds upon previous reliability-focused rotorcraft design work to survey both a variety of rotorcraft configurations and a wider range of technology insertion intended to improve overall aircraft reliability and availability. The methodology is applied to a sensitivity study of technology insertion. The tradeoffs in design effects and life-cycle cost components are observed with the aim of finding the level of reliability investment which results in the minimum life-cycle cost for a given set of assumptions related to design and operational conditions. The study concludes by discussing the implications of the reliability tradespace investigation for future rotorcraft development and procurement programs.