Fuel Weight Determination of Ultralight and Very Light Helicopters at the Preliminary Design Stage

In recent years, a large number of one- to two-seat-type helicopters have appeared, raising the possibility to determine the dependencies inherent in these classes. Such dependencies are extremely necessary at the preliminary design stage, in particular, for determining the fuel mass. The relative mass of fuel depends on the required range and flight time of the helicopter, as well as on the characteristics of the engine and the required power of the helicopter. Based on statistical data, the article presents an approximate relation of the hourly fuel consumption of engines that small helicopters are equipped with. The additional amount of fuel required to complete missions has also been determined. General dependency of the fuel weight that can be used at the preliminary design stage is presented according to the analysis results.