The rotorcraft industry is pricing itself right out of the commercial transportation marketplace. This is illustrated by helicopter prices that have inflated significantly faster than comsumer product prices and by helicopter productivity per dollar that decreases with increased purchase prices. Specifically, inflation in helicopter purchase price has significantly exceeded the U.S. consumer price index since 1980. When measured in ton-knots, productivity per 1994 purchase price dollar has diminished with increased size, cruise speed and added features. In sharp contrast, the propeller driven, fixed wing airliner industry has not followed the rotorcraft industry in this unsatisfactory trend. Purchase price analysis of 120 helicopters using linear regression statistical analysis has yielded a price estimating equation. This equation shows helicopter prices are more sensitive to installed power than to weight empty. Inclusion of 126 General Aviation aircraft and 163 airliners in the regression analysis has shown that price is linearly dependent on a size factor. This pseudo, universal size factor contains both weight empty and total engine(s) rated horsepower design parameters. At equal size factor, helicopters are priced about 50 % higher than airplanes in the commercial marketplace. This appears to be the premium for VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capability. Preliminary price and performance data for two emerging tiltrotors show that the helicopter's low cruise speed problem has been solved. The rotorcraft industry can now expand into the airliner marketplace if it can substantially reduce the premium price for VTOL. The traditional minimum weight empty design approach results in excessive installed power due to high disc loading and has been necessary to meet military requirements.


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    Title :

    Rotorcraft cost too much


    Additional title:

    Hubschrauber sind zu teuer


    Contributors:
    Harris, F.D. (author) / Scully, M.P. (author)

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    1998


    Size :

    11 Seiten, 14 Bilder, 11 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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