Ground Effect for Lifting Rotors in Forward Flight

Abstract

A theoretical analysis indicates that, for rotors, ground effect decreases rapidly with increases in either height above the ground or forward speed. The decrease with height above the ground in forward flights is greater than that in hovering. The major part of the decrease in ground effect with forward speed occurs at speeds less than 1.5 times the hovering mean induced velocity. Consequently, the total induced velocity at the rotor center increases rather than decreases when a helicopter gathers speed at low height above the ground.