Interesting approach to silencing choppers

[CL-Skadoo!]

Helicopters make a lot of noise because of a physical phenomenon called blade-vortex interaction. Eurocopter engineers have developed a new kind of rotor blade that attenuates this problem. It's called Blue Edge, and—as you can hear—it works beautifully:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBS1NRsY ... r_embedded

The new blade shape is combined with another technology called Blue Pulse, which adds three flaps to the edge of the rotor blades. These flaps move up and down at 15 to 40 times per second, using piezoelectric motors that also help to reduce the blade-vortex interaction

[shitdisturber]

Helicopters make a lot of noise because of a physical phenomenon called blade-vortex interaction. Eurocopter engineers have developed a new kind of rotor blade that attenuates this problem. It's called Blue Edge, and—as you can hear—it works beautifully:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBS1NRsY ... r_embedded

The new blade shape is combined with another technology called Blue Pulse, which adds three flaps to the edge of the rotor blades. These flaps move up and down at 15 to 40 times per second, using piezoelectric motors that also help to reduce the blade-vortex interaction

Not being an engineer, I have to wonder how having three flaps at the edge of the blade constantly in motion is going to affect the blades themselves; ie are they going to be more prone to cracking?

[Pratt X 3]

That's nothing new. Blue Thunder has "Whisper Mode" back in the 80's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmBIk5RA0EQ

[Invertago]

Perfect, more moving parts!

[Meatservo]

That's nothing new. Blue Thunder has "Whisper Mode" back in the 80's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmBIk5RA0EQ

Damn. I was going to make a "Blue Thunder" joke. Back to the drawing board.

[Cap'n P8]

Stk stk...catch you later.

[. ._]

That's nothing new. Blue Thunder has "Whisper Mode" back in the 80's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmBIk5RA0EQ

Damn. I was going to make a "Blue Thunder" joke. Back to the drawing board.

Me too!

[CL-Skadoo!]

That's nothing new. Blue Thunder has "Whisper Mode" back in the 80's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmBIk5RA0EQ

Damn. I was going to make a "Blue Thunder" joke. Back to the drawing board.

Me too!

If I wanted a joke, I'd stand next to you in the men's room and watch you take a leak.

[Brewguy]

That looks really neat. If it works as advertised, they should try to marketing to the tourism operators like we have here in Niagara Falls. Every year for as far back as I can remember, our local paper is filled with noise complaints.

But back to the thread hijacking ... I always preferred Air Wolf to Blue Thunder. Check out the computer generated awesomeness! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU0sK8PY ... re=related

[The Mole]

Rotor blades are some of the most complex engineering, in the world. Its hard to believe they can make them run without fail for 5000hrs

Great idea, hope its shows up sooner than later.

To bad the only new progressive engineering is coming out of Europe. Bell and Robinson are sooooo far behind it's embarrassing

This vid is from the 50's of a blade in flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaE807WKN_8

[pika]

Going with Brewguy on this one. Air Wolf in supersonic flight is pretty tough to beat.

[Conquest Driver]

I particularly liked the episode where they threw Airwolf out the back of a Herc and air started it.

Then the was the Hawaii 5 Oh episode where McGarret said "they're going to hear us, turn on the silencer". Sure enough, there was this switch on the panel.

[co-joe]

Funny, about 10 years ago somebody (Salomon?) had a snowboard with peezee-ohlectric lights on is that were supposed to transfer vibrations into electric energy to power them and basically absorb and dissipate energy....

I always wondered what the F peezee-ohlectrics were and if they would become useful.

[OhKiE DoHkIe]

4 things that get right under my skin...

1. People wearing track pants in public.
2. Cold rain. In fact...any rain.
3. Toothpicks @ restaurants that are not individually wrapped with plastic.
4. The intrusive noise Helicopter's make.

I love this idea. ALL choppers should have this. ALL choppers.

[Cat Driver]

It's all in how one see aviation, for me it is hard to beat the sound of a Bell Huey coming towards you on a nice warm still morning.

But I am partial to rotary wing anyhow.

Granted fixed wing pilots are half way to becoming real pilots.

[beaverbob]

Like the bumblebee, the helicopter looks to be aerodynamically incapable of flight. The only reason it can fly is because it doesent know it can't fly.

[Pratt X 3]

I thought helicopters flew because they were so ugly, the Earth just repelled them.

[Darkwing Duck]

Quiet is nice, cool technology.

Gotta agree with Cat Driver though (and I was going to say this but he beat me to it..doh), nothing like the whomp whomp whomp of a Huey coming overhead. Just like the old thoaty rumble of a radial. Hear it for miles, and miles and miles.

Airwolf - cool
Blue Thunder - sucks