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Dr. Bertelsen’s Blog entries on Aviation

 

Turbine Arc Wing VTOL Airplane

 

Videos of the Arc Wing Development

 

The first and only vertical take off and landing (VTOL) 350 mph fixed wing airplane for General Aviation. 
 

1.

It will provide true point to point transportation, “as the crow flies”, having vertical take off and landing capabilities.

2.

It will travel at 350+ mph in cruise mode, with an 800 mile range.

3.

It is mechanically simple - much simpler than helicopters or tiltrotors - and will cost no more than other turboprop GA aircraft to build. And, it will require much less maintenance than any rotocraft.

4.

It will be flyable by fixed wing pilots, since it is an airplane, and will handle like an airplane.

5.

Its manufacturing and maintenances costs will be moderate – similar to those of current turboprop airplanes – and far less than helicopters or tilt rotor aircraft.

The Turbine Arc Wing VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) Airplane,  is absolutely unique in being a true V/STOL as a fixed wing aircraft with the high cruise speed.   This plane requires only the basic elements of fixed wing aircraft for VTOL or cruise flight, namely, full span flaps and high installed power usable in both VTOL and cruise.   It has no need for heavy, costly, encumbering systems for conversion from one realm to another, no multiple rotors, no rotor folding devices, no  cross shafting, no extra gear boxes, no "black boxes" for programming, no wing tip or tail jets, no tail rotors, no lift fans or lift engines. It is a fixed wing pilot's airplane, flown like a fixed wing airplane, with no need for rotor craft or other special training. 

Recent Research

    Aeromobile Inc. continues to investigate the properties of the Arc Wing and how those properties contribute to the vertical take off and landing capabilities of the aircraft.  This research is being carried out by William D. Bertelsen, son of Dr. Berteslen and an engineer.

    This work has been presented to sessions of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Aviation (AIAA) and to the American Helicopter Society (AHS)  in 2005 and 2006. We have a slideshow presentation, along with videos of this pioneering research.

    Click here to access the presentation and videos. 

Brochures, Conference Papers and Other Information on the Turbine Arc Wing VTOL airplane


 Introduction to the Arcopter Arc Wing and the Bertelsen Effect For Positive Pitch Stability and Control  (19 page PDF document)
An important paper presented by William D. Bertelsen to a NASA conference in 1979. This summarizes the many stages of work involved in the development and validation of the Arc Wing technology.
Turbine Arc Wing VTOL Airplane Brochure  (12 page PDF document)
This presents the essential information on the Arc Wing VTOL airplane, including specifications.
Laying the Groundwork for the Design of an Affordable 300-kt STOL     (14 page PDF document)   
This paper was presented by William D. Bertelsen to:
      The American Helicopter Society
      62nd AnnualForum
      Phoenix, AZ
      May 9-11, 2006
History of Dr. Bertelsen's work on the Arc Wing VTOL Airplane (17 page PDF document)
An account by Dr. Bertelsen’s of his VTOL Research, which including a number of photos and charts not in shown in other documents.
NASA STTR Proposal, 2003  (23 page PDF document)
This presents Dr. Bertelsen’s plan, in conjunction with top University professors and industry leaders, to bring his Arc Wing VTOL Airplane concepts and design to a full scal  working model and from there to commercial practicality.
This proposal was made to NASA in 2003, in connection with their Personal Air Vehicle (PAV) program..
Preliminary Investigation of Arc Wing Pitch Characteristics (54 page PDF slideshow)
This information was presented by William D. Bertelsen to:
      The AIAA 5th Conference on Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations
      Hyatt Regency Crystal City, VA
      September 26-28, 2005
History of Deflected Slipstream VTOL Aircraft (18 page PDF document)) 
This paper presented by William D. Bertelsen and Dr. Bertelsen summarizes the early history of deflected slipstream approach to creating a VTOL airplane, and the modern fulfillment of that approach.
      The American Helicopter Society
      61st AnnualForum
      Grapevine, TX
      June 1-3, 2005
This paper by Dr. Bertelsen summarizes his 50 years of aeronautical research, spanning the period from 1957 through 2007. It was presented at:
      American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
      Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit,
      Reno, NV, Jan 2007.
Video Footage on the Arc Wing VTOL Airplane - Videos of various stages of development of the this vehicle.
VTOL Photo Gallery - has  numerous photos and comments to give a more in-depth presentation of Dr. Bertelsen's VTOL work.
 
 Why is the Turbine Arc Wing VTOL so valuable?
I. Efficiency 
 

    Large diameter dual rotating propellers with great disc area accelerating a huge mass of air at lower velocity makes for greater efficiency.

    Dual rotation propellers are estimated by to be 8% to 9% more efficient 

Closer coupled design.
The arc wing and flaps are principally under tension loading and can be of very thin 100% composite structure.   Similarly, the canard surfaces and tail can be of composite, possibly wood epoxy saturation technique.
The arc wing has inherent end plates (no need for vertical winglets) and therefore increased effective span enabling design of very short span equal  to, or less than, propeller diameter with consequent lower drag and lighter weight.
Arc Wing VTOL Airplane will be smaller for a given payload.
    Less wetted area in cruise (dramatically less if tail less)
    Smaller landing area required, even less than needed for a helicopter of the same capacity, saving on land use.
    Smaller hangar space is required than for fixed wing as the short span arc wing and flaps tilt down aft to lower overhead clearance required, and the tail (if any) will fold forward.  A two car garage at home may be adequate for personal aircraft.
     
V/STOL capability allows further great savings in time, eliminating inconvenience and delay with point-to-point, origin-to-destination travel rather than  airport-to-airport.
The combination of large diameter propellers, dual rotation, centerline thrust, twin engine reliability, small size, lighter weight, clean "all-up" condition will yield very high cruise speed, about double that of the helicopter. With less time in flight, there is significant saving in fuel and personnel time, for both passengers and crew.
Zero pitching moment quality of the Arc Wing VTOL negative lift and induced drag for angle of incidence fixation by the rearward horizontal tail. Using  fore-aft shift of the center of lift (C.L.), to maintain the wing angle of incidence may require no positive lift from horizontal canards, also eliminating induced drag.
II. Safety
  
The Arc Wing VTOL Airplane as a fixed wing aircraft will have fewer fatalities per 100,000 hours of operation incurred by the helicopter as shown by accident statistics.
The ability to fly slowly or hover, back up, move sideways, and resist gusts increases safety in poor visibility and high winds. 
The mechanical simplicity of the Arc Wing VTOL Airplane diminishes the chance for failure of components. Twin engines driving centerline thrust propellers avoid the known hazards of conventional twins.
The Arc Wing VTOL Airplane requires no programming for conversion from VTOL or STOL to cruise or back to VTOL or STOL.  Conventionally conditioned response and techniques ingrained in all pilots are adequate to fly the Arc Wing VTOL Airplane through all realms of flight and in all emergencies.  In contrast, the helicopter, tilt rotor, Harrier, tilt fan,  deflected jet, or jet blown wing aircraft require very special and often "unnatural" pilot response and training.
 
III.  Lowest Cost
 
To  manufacture:
The arc wings and flaps can be simple fiberglass lay-up in very precise, highly polished female molds. There is no need for costly "high  tech" composites of either Kevlar or carbon filament, etc. And there need be no complex structural boxes, spars, ribs, bulkheads, stringers, etc., in the thin tension  loaded arc wing and flaps. 
Rearward tail booms and empennage could be made of West system lay-up, or other light weight composite.
The light disc loading and low strain on the large diameter dual rotation propellers will allow them to be made of lighter weight materials, probably composites.
 
Lower cost to operate and maintain
In contrast to the other VTOL's, that most prodigious vibration generator,  the helicopter, which requires a high ratio of ground  service time to flight time, the smooth dual rotation system of the Arc Wing VTOL Airplane causes little shake, little low or high frequency vibration with proportionately  less fatigue failure, parts replacement, and maintenance.
In propulsion, the Arc Wing VTOL without cyclic and collective pitch hubs, and flapping blades, is far simpler, and lighter than either the helicopter or the tilt rotor and therefore cheaper to build and maintain.
 
 
IV.  Potential Uses of the Turbine Arc Wing VTOL Airplane
 
Corporate aircraft, 4 to 24 passengers
Private General Aviation aircraft, 4 to 8 passengers
Commuter aircraft to and from city centers, rather than airport to airport, 12 or 18 passengers
Air ambulance
Emergency rescue, evacuation, disaster supply, relief
Bush operations
Agricultural spraying
Off-shore oil rig crew boat for Arctic and Temperate operations.
Law enforcement, drug traffic control, and illegal entry surveillance
Fire fighting, rescue from high-rise building and towers.
Ship to shore cargo, personnel, and mail delivery.
 

Last update: August 8, 2008