Aerodynamics of UH-60 Helicopter-inlet Integration in Ground Effect

This paper describes a comprehensive numerical investigation into the aerodynamic characteristics of a full-scale UH-60 helicopter–inlet integrated flow field under the ground effect. The impact of both the internal and external flow parameters on the coupled flow field is analyzed, and the aerodynamic performance, streamline distributions, surface pressure, velocity fields, and vorticity magnitude are examined in detail. The numerical results demonstrate that the ground effect effectively reduces the flow losses within the air intake. Furthermore, the ground effect exhibits a significant attenuation in the presence of incoming flow, accompanied by substantial modifications in the three-dimensional flow field characteristics at the entrance of the intake. The internal parameters of the intake exert a substantial influence on the coupled flow field dynamics. This research elucidates the aerodynamic characteristics of the coupled interference in the near-ground flow fields across various operational conditions, providing valuable insights for helicopter flight operations under the ground effect.