Ship airwake measurement and modeling options for rotorcraft applications

Ship airwake is important in defining rotorcraft ship operational limitations and in predicting those limitations using analysis and simulation. Accurate real time ship airwake models are required to support pilot shipboard landing training in aviation training devices. Increased emphasis must be placed on obtaining quantitative full scale airwake data and in quantitatively evaluating ship airwake simulation models. Quantitative ship airwake data measurement equipment ranges from hand held mechanical sensors, to propeller anemometers mounted on a mast, to possible laser velocimeter and other options in the near future. Wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics options are also possible candidates for ship airwake data generation. It is important to compare the different techniques for obtaining ship airwake data and evaluate the utility and strengths and weaknesses of each technique. Many activities in the U.S. and in other countries are involved in rotorcraft shipboard landing flight test, analysis, and simulation.