Vibration reduction in rotorcraft using active control - A comparison of various approaches

This paper presents a concise review of the state of the art for vibration reduction in rotorcraft using active controls. The principal approaches to vibration reduction in helicopters described in the paper are 1) higher harmonic control, 2) individual blade control, 3) vibration reduction using an actively controlled flap located on the blade, and 4) active control of structural response. The special attributes of the coupled rotor/flexible fuselage vibration reduction problem are also briefly discussed to emphasize that vibration reduction at the hub is not equivalent to acceleration reduction at specific fuselage locations. Based on the comparison of the various approaches, it appears that the actively controlled flap has remarkable potential for vibration reduction.