Stability analysis of a two-dimensional tethered helicopter

Motivated by a haul down system used by ship borne helicopters, the objective of this paper was to analyze a planar helicopter attached to an earth-fixed tether to investigate the effect of the tether on the stability of the system. The model was developed without small angle approximations and without linearization to allow analysis at large displacements and tether angles. This work demonstrated consistency with the hypothesis that the addition of the tether could destabilize an otherwise stable system. The model presented in this paper established the foundation upon which a refined model, applicable to real helicopters, can be developed.

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