In what follows an estimate will be made of the magnitude of the ground effect. For the two cases where the distance a of the propeller from the ground is very small, and very large, respectively, in comparison with the propeller radius r(sub o) the relations may be simply expressed. We consider first the effect of the ground, assuming that the thrust is held constant, as may be done by a suitable change in the propeller speed.

The report presents the development of a wake model for a lifting propeller (rotor) in ground effect and the computational procedure used to determine the spacial distribution of wake vorticity and the induced velocity field accompanying that vorticity distribution. Sample calculations for a two-bladed rotor were carried out on an IBM 7044 computer. Locations of wake vortical elements and the associated induced velocities at selected field points are presented for advance ratios of 0, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.10 for an H/R (ratio of rotor height above ground to rotor radius) of 1.0. Also, a few results for a hovering case with H/R = 0.5 are presented. A calculated root-mean-square velocity map is compared with measured hovering data (time averaged) and good agreement is obtained in the outer half of the slipstream. The implications of computed results with respect to the flow field at a horizontal stabilizer or tail rotor are noted as examples of the use of the model. The wake vortex model used for these calculations is a distorted continuous helix emanating from each blade tip. (Author).

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