MENtOR: Methods and Experiments for NOvel Rotorcraft

MENtOR是英国垂直举升网络（UKVLN）活动的结果。UKVLN是一个由ESPRC （EP/M018164/1）资助的网络，旨在将英国的旋翼机研究界聚集在一起。MENtOR本身的目标是开发和验证可用于设计和分析下一代旋翼飞机的方法和工具。该项目是必要的，因为垂直飞行器的传统配置正在从带有主尾桨的直升机转变为不同的配置，其中最复杂的是倾斜旋翼。Ormiston （R.A. Ormiston, 2016）最近认识到这一点，振兴了先进旋翼飞机研究和复合直升机。《航空杂志》，120页，第83-129页)，他在他的美国直升机学会尼古拉基奖和演讲中对垂直飞行器的未来进行了回顾。在英国，倾转旋翼配置已被旋翼机行业选择为技术战略委员会发展的路线图，基于aw609飞机和清洁天空2计划。AW609的最新进展凸显了该提案的相关性，以及设计如此复杂的安全高效的垂直飞行机器所面临的挑战，以及为训练有素的工程师提供必要工具、数据和理解的研究需求。MENtoR是一项联合努力，包括英国所有活跃在旋翼飞机领域的研究人员。开发高保真设计和仿真工具是与使用测试数据验证工具同等重要的首要目标。为了支持这项活动，MENtOR利用ATI（前英国空气动力学公司）的投资，制造了一个适合风洞实验的试验台，并能够适应倾斜旋翼配置。这个新设施目前正在调试中，MENtOR将是第一个利用它的项目。最后，MENToR拥有强大的开发和传播机构，旨在保持和提高英国在国际旋翼飞机领域的地位，并确保英国工业得到训练有素的员工、工具和基础研究的良好支持，从而开始设计和开发这种新型旋翼飞机

MENtOR is a result of the activities of the UK Vertical Lift Network (UKVLN). UKVLN is a network funded by ESPRC (EP/M018164/1) aiming to bring together the rotorcraft research community of the UK. MENtOR itself is aiming to develop and validate methods and tools that can be used for the design and analysis of the next-generation rotorcraft. The project is necessary because the conventional configuration of a vertical flying machine is changing from a helicopter with main and tail rotors to different configurations, the most complex of which is the tilt-rotor. This was recently recognised by Ormiston (R.A. Ormiston, 2016, Revitalising advanced rotorcraft research and the compound helicopter. The Aeronautical Journal, 120, pp 83-129) who performed a review on the future of vertical flying machines as part of his American Helicopter Society Nikolsky award and lecture.In the UK, the tiltrotor configuration has been selected by the rotorcraft industry to be on the roadmap of the Technology Strategy Board for development, based on the AW 609 aircraft and the Clean-Sky 2 initiative. Recent progress with the AW609 highlights the relevance of the proposal and the challenge at hand to design safe and efficient vertical flight machines of such complexity, and the need for research to provide trained engineers with the necessary tools, data and understanding.MENtoR is a combined effort that includes all researchers in the UK active in the rotorcraft filed. The development of high-fidelity design and simulation tools is a primary objective equal in importance to the validation of the tools using test data. To support this activity MENtOR capitalises on the investment of ATI (former UK Aerodynamics) on the manufacturing of a test rig suitable for wind tunnel experimentation and able to accommodate tilt-rotor configurations. This new facility is currently undergoing commissioning and MENtOR will be the first project to utilise it.Finally, MENToR has as strong exploitation and dissemination arm that aims to maintain and enhance the position of the UK in the international rotorcraft scene and ensure that the UK industry is well-supported with trained staff, tools and fundamental research to embark in the design and development of this new breed of rotorcraft