DLR – Onera Common Research Programme for Rotorcraft

Onera and DLR are both national research centres involved in aeronautic research since early 1900. In 1998, Onera and DLR signed an agreement to join their competencies and manpower in the helicopter and tilt rotor domain. The first common research programme was issued in 2000. The authors constitute the common management structure. The paper will shortly present Onera and DLR, the rationale of the cooperation and management structure and share the experience of combining studies and tests made jointly and funded by different sources. For several years now, this common programme produces results from common, cooperative or single side studies. The paper recalls main results obtained in the cooperation within the last years such as computational tools (e.g. CFD development and validation for aerodynamics and aeroacoustic), environmental studies such as external and internal noise, new technologies for active rotor control and active blades, flight mechanics and handling quality studies, recent developments for tiltrotor applications and helicopter flight tests. This common organisation has reached now a kind of cruise trip and the teams are addressing future challenges for rotorcraft technology. These challenges and the studies running to contribute to the improvement of rotorcraft technologies will be presented. Future plans are also presented