CFD code validation for complete helicopters - The European GOAHEAD project

The objective of the European GOAHEAD project was the Generation of an Advanced Helicopter Experimental Aerodynamic Database for CFD code validation. This was accomplished by a wind tunnel experiment with a Mach scaled model of a complete helicopter similar to a modern transport helicopter. The extensive measurements in the 6m x 8m DNW-LLF wind tunnel provided unsteady pressures, loads, transition data, blade deformation data and flow field measurements. The experimental data were deeply analyzed and gathered in a well documented data base. The capabilities of today’s CFD solvers have been assessed by blind test computations before the experiment. Computational results have been refined in a post test exercise