The Analysis of Airworthiness Issues Influence to the Development of Tiltrotor Aircraft

Combined with the flying speed, altitude and comfort features of fixed-wing propeller aircraft, and the vertical taking off and landing characteristics of rotorcraft, the tiltrotor aircraft has unique advantages. As a result, many researchers, represented by U.S. aviation industry, are involved in the research and development of tiltrotor aircraft, and think that it has comprehensive application prospects in the military and civil domains. However, dispute has never stopped in the past years along with the development of tiltrotor aircraft. Although it has splendid advantages and good prospects in the future, there are also many inherent deficiencies at present. Including but not limited to the following areas: lower hover performance contrasted to helicopter, reduced forward flight performance against to propeller aircraft, defective reliability and maintainability, burdensome cost, and issues about airworthiness and safety. Mainly from the airworthiness point of view, the impact to the development of tiltrotor aircraft is analyzed in this paper. Based on the analysis above, the evolution trend of tiltrotor aircraft in the next period of time is discussed, so as to provide reference for the related research in aviation industry.