15 Best Books on Helicopters

“Helicopter Theory (Dover Books on Aeronautical Engineering)” Book Review: This book provides comprehensive information on flying a helicopter, including its fundamental concepts and flight dynamics, as well as the design and theory of helicopters. It is intended for individuals who are interested in designing and developing vertical flight aircraft. The book covers a wide range of topics related to forward and vertical flight, mathematics of rotating systems, aerodynamics, rotary wing dynamics, stability and control, aeroelasticity, noise, and stall. To facilitate understanding, the book also includes almost 189 illustrations.

“Helicopter Flight Dynamics: The Theory and Application of Flying Qualities and Simulation Modeling (AIAA Education)” Book Review: This book is a comprehensive guide to helicopter flight dynamics, including both theoretical concepts and practical applications. It explores the development of handling criteria and includes new flight test techniques. Updated with chapters on degraded flying qualities, this book also provides an approach to flying quality engineering.

“Getting Started with Drones” Book Review: This book offers comprehensive information on drones, including their operational mechanisms, engineering challenges, and customization options. Readers will gain an in-depth understanding of drone technology, from basic concepts to advanced topics such as building and modifying drones.

“Flight Theory and Aerodynamics: A Practical Guide for Operational Safety” Book Review: This book delves into the principles of flight and the mechanics that govern a pilot’s routine operational tasks. It covers fundamental concepts such as algebra and trigonometry, as well as their applications to jets, propeller aircraft, and helicopters. The book includes chapters on the flight environment, aircraft structures, and UAS-UAV flight theory. It also contains examples, component photos, and diagrams to aid the reader’s understanding. The book provides insight into the special considerations required during takeoff and landing.

“Linear and Nonlinear Control of Small-Scale Unmanned Helicopters (Intelligent Systems, Control and Automation: Science and Engineering)” Book Review: The focus of this book is on the design of flight controllers for small unmanned helicopters. It is intended for students and researchers involved in the development of flight controllers. The book provides a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to design, evaluate, and implement efficient flight controllers. It covers linear and non-linear models of ordinary differential equations and also delves into the equations of motion for helicopters, including their main rotor mechanism, aerodynamics, and dynamics.

“Theory of Adaptive Fiber Composites: From Piezoelectric Material Behavior to Dynamics of Rotating Structures (Solid Mechanics and Its Applications)” Book Review: This book look into the theory of adaptive fiber composites, which are created by integrating the actuation and sensing capabilities of piezoelectric materials with fiber composites. These composites have numerous applications, including noise and vibration reduction. Additionally, the book explores the reduction of oscillations through the coupling of aerodynamics via fast manipulation. It also delves into the sensing properties utilized in determining the current state of deformation.

“Helicopter Flight Dynamics” Book Review: This book offers a detailed examination of the flight characteristics of rotary-wing aircraft used in both civil and military settings. It explores the fundamental principles of helicopter flight dynamics, as well as the latest advancements in handling standards and flight testing methodologies. The revised edition includes new information on deteriorated flying qualities, providing insights into flying quality engineering. The book delves into a variety of topics, including constructing simulation models, evaluating trim and stability, creating objective criteria, and assessing performance. Furthermore, it discusses the evaluation of pilots and various forms of degradation.

“Fundamentals of Helicopter Dynamics” Book Review: This book provides an introduction to the fundamentals of helicopter aerodynamics and dynamics. It is designed for individuals seeking to gain a deeper understanding of these fields. The book is structured around 11 chapters, which cover topics such as the history of development, vertical and hovering flight, forward flight, and a simplified model of rotor blade in flap mode. Additionally, it includes discussions on aeroelastic response, isolated rotor blade stability analysis, modeling of coupled rotor-fuselage dynamics, and related flight dynamic stability.

“Bramwell’s Helicopter Dynamics” Book Review: This book is a comprehensive guide to the principles of helicopter dynamics. The book is organized into several sections covering different aspects of helicopter design, operation, and performance. The first section provides an overview of helicopter design and operation, including the history of helicopters and the basic principles of aerodynamics. The second section focuses on helicopter performance, including power requirements, climb and descent performance, and range and endurance. Other topics covered include rotor aerodynamics, stability and control, vibrations, and helicopter noise. The book also includes numerous case studies and examples to illustrate the principles and theories discussed, making it an ideal reference for students, engineers, and enthusiasts interested in the field of helicopter dynamics.

“Rotary Wing Structural Dynamics and Aeroelasticity (AIAA Education Series)” Book Review: This book is focused on the essential principles of aeroelasticity and structural dynamics for traditional rotary wing aircraft. It is intended for both graduate-level students and practicing engineers. The book provides detailed coverage of basic analytical tools, rotating beams, gyroscopic effects, drive system dynamics, and more. It also explores fuselage vibrations, stability analysis, methods for controlling vibrations, and dynamic test procedures. The book has been revised with new solutions, techniques, and problems, as well as an appendix.

“Design and Dynamic Modeling of Autonomous Coaxial Micro Helicopters” Book Review: The focus of this book is on the muFly project, which is part of the European framework project. The project aims to design and develop an autonomous micro helicopter, with a size and mass similar to that of a small bird. The book presents two prototype designs for muFly helicopters and discusses the design principles of coaxial micro helicopters. It also covers the concepts of passive stabilization and steering, as well as the characteristics of hingeless rotor systems. Additionally, the book explores the use of dynamic models in the design parameter study.

“Smart Helicopter Rotors: Optimization and Piezoelectric Vibration Control (Advances in Industrial Control)” Book Review: The focus of this book is on the potential of smart helicopter rotors and their ability to improve ride smoothness. It is written for researchers and engineers in the aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineering fields. The book examines the benefits of using multiple trailing edge flaps and discusses algorithms for full authority control of dual trailing edge flap actuators. Additionally, the book addresses the issue of hysteresis nonlinearity in piezoelectric stack actuators.

“Modeling, Control and Coordination of Helicopter Systems” Book Review: This book focuses on the examination of helicopter systems, covering nonlinear flight dynamic modeling, stability analysis, and advanced control design for single helicopter systems. It also addresses issues concerning the coordination and formation control of multiple helicopter systems. The book encompasses modeling, control, and coordination of helicopter systems, and presents problem-solving solutions for helicopter system design and implementation. The book is designed for researchers and engineers in the field of aerospace, mechanical, and electrical engineering.

“Flight Physics: Essentials of Aeronautical Disciplines and Technology, with Historical Notes” Book Review: The focus of this book is on the basic principles and real-world applications of aircraft flight. It covers topics such as atmospheric properties, applied aerodynamics, aircraft propulsion, and flight performance. The book is geared towards the practical side of flight physics, including descriptions of various physical phenomena and mathematical derivations. Additionally, the book includes numerous examples and graphical illustrations to aid in understanding.

“Recent Progress in Flow Control for Practical Flows: Results of the STADYWICO and IMESCON Projects” Book Review: This book is a product of the research conducted under two EU-funded projects aimed at training doctoral students. It is intended for students and engineers interested in flow control and highlights the significance of passive and active flow control techniques in reducing helicopter fuel consumption. The book covers subjects such as structural dynamics, fluid flow control, and actuator control.