SESSION 5 - The smartest tiltrotor / tiltwing model developed so-far

Dipl Ing Joost Hakkaart, Principle R&D Manager

SESSION 5 - National Aerospace Laboratory NLR

The European rotorcraft industry and its partners are currently working on various research aspects of ERICA (Enhanced Rotorcraft Innovative Concept Achievement), a hybrid tiltwing /tiltrotor concept. This research is funded in the sixth framework programme, the NICETRIP project. The ERICA design is intended to overcome many of the operating and performance limitations associated with traditional tiltrotor designs. The planned 10 tons transport aircraft will have small diameter prop rotors to allow running take-offs, outer wing sections that will tilt independently of the nacelles to reduce rotor downwash, and a continuous tubular structural connection between the prop rotors. To reduce future risks on one of the critical technologies, being the tiltrotor aerodynamic interaction and rotor performance, a complex large scale research model has been developed on scale 1:5 by NLR for future wind tunnel testing in strategic European wind tunnels. Both outer wing and nacelle of the research model can be tilted independently, consistent with the ERICA configuration. To enable efficient tunnel operation, without the need to stop wind tunnel testing because of model configuration changes, all control surfaces; Flap (2), Flaperon (2), Rudder and Aileron are remotely controlled by advanced compact units developed at NLR. The level of complexity of this research model is far beyond any wind tunnel model developed so far. 

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Joost Hakkaart – Principal R&D Manager at the Helicopter and Aeroacoustics department of Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory, NLR, which is the key center of expertise for aerospace technology in the Netherlands. NLR employs around 700 people, including 300 with a Master degree and 150 with a Bachelor degree. NLR’s facilities include wind tunnels, simulators and laboratory aircrafts. After graduation at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Delft University of Technology in 1992, Joost joined the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory, NLR, as project manager at the low speed wind tunnel, especially for helicopter development testing. He changed position to the Helicopter Department for helicopter testing in general, managing both wind tunnel programs (like NH90 development tests) as well as flight tests (helicopter – ship interface testing) In 1999 he became Head of Wind Tunnel Projects for the NLR/DNW wind tunnels in Amsterdam. After 5 years, changed again to the Helicopter and Aeroacoustics department in the position of principal project manager. In this position he is supervising major projects, coaching and training less experienced colleagues, contributes to knowledge management and identifies not only NLR's opportunities but also the possible threats and risks in the future.

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