Innovative helicopter design goal of Army contract

The University of Dayton Research Institute has been awarded a contract to perform research into structural design, materials and processes for an innovative new complex coaxial helicopter design developed for the U.S. Army by the AVX Aircraft Company in Fort Worth, Texas.

The funds are part of a $4 million Army award to AVX to further investigate its design via the Joint Multi-Role helicopter program. The contract calls for AVX to define a design concept that is affordable, technically feasible and meets a predetermined set of performance attributes, according to a company news release.

AVX’s helicopter design features two counter-rotating rotor blades, which eliminates the need for a standard vertical tail rotor to provide stabilization. The design also includes dual-ducted pusher fans allowing the helicopter to achieve speeds much greater than conventional helicopter designs. Dan Bowman, Aerospace Mechanics division, will serve as the principal investigator.

Each year, sponsored research programs at the University of Dayton provide real-world research opportunities to nearly 300 undergraduate and graduate students working with more than 500 professional and faculty researchers from the Research Institute, the School of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Dec. 22, 2011