General Huey question

[SgtPappy]

I would like a concept cleared up on a helicopter rotor vs a propeller. On a prop plane, like the P-51, running in too coarse of an RPM setting results in overtorque of the engine, causing it to eventually sieze and just stop instantly.

 

The Huey, which has a turboshaft engine and a separate transmission connected to said engine, does not instantly stop upon increasing collective to high of a point.

 

Is there any inherent reason why the Huey can take such high torque? Could early helicopters take such high torque values? I feel like they would have to, since overtorque conditions seem so easy to achieve.

[xxJohnxx]

Is there any inherent reason why the Huey can take such high torque? Could early helicopters take such high torque values? I feel like they would have to, since over-torque conditions seem so easy to achieve.

 

Theoretically not. You should prevent at all cost to enter the red area on the torque-meter. If you get into the red area you are at risk of damaging your gearbox.

However over-torque and engine overload situations aren't simulated at this point (they hopefully will be added one day...).

 

However, on other helicopters, like the Mi-8, the gearbox is capable of more torque than the engines can produce.

The engines themselves are at least somewhat prevented from overload situations due to their electronic control and governor systems.

[effte]

The failure modes aren't as straightforward as in the OP. Detonation, molten pistons, blown gaskets, gearbox failures...

 

In a turboshaft, as on the Huey, you don't have all that but you do have a gearbox which will wear out or even break down.

[SgtPappy]

Thank you for your answers. It clears things up. Hopefully we'll get the failure modes one day, but I understand it is hard to simulate.