Check some of these for book suggestions or just try the web.  Maybe search for" helicopter forum OR "message board"

_______________________________________
Feeling frisky.........
www.tailofthedragon.com

Interesting question. I recently went to the library but could not find a book I took out many years ago and I think the title was "The Principles Of Helicopter Engineering" by Jacob Shapiro, circa the 1950s. I have now ordered this book from a used book place on the internet and should have it in a few days and find out if it is the one I think it is. The book I am speaking of had many great diagrams of swash plates and control linkage and seemed to me to be a real treasure trove but it may be so old that libraries have thrown it out. I am paying $33 for this gamble and sure hope I am right. I'll try to remember to drop another note here in a few days with my results.

Hi jplot,

I will watch for your comments on that book. Surprisingly, very few books explain stuff figuratively while it is necessary for a complicated subject like helicopter theory. It's become simply hard to imagine many of those things having had no formal class in it.

 

I second the vote for Shapiro's book.  I have a few others, but the illustrations in Shapiro put it a step above the other "reference texts".  One place that may have it is "Alibris.com", but there are other used book sellers on the net that you could try.

Steven Fahey, CET

Try this link its for a downloadable version of the rotorcraft flying handbook.

http://www.prachapter34.com/faa%20rotorcraft%20handbook.pdf

Hope it helps.

aero^2

Check-out the following books on the noted websites...
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.darcorp.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=257

Helicopter Performance, Stability and Control · Raymond W. Prouty · ISBN: 1575242095

Helicopter Theory · Wayne Johnson · ISBN: 0486682307

Military Helicopter Design Technology · Raymond Prouty · ISBN: 157524067X

Principles of Helicopter Aerodynamics · J. Gordon Leishman  ·  ISBN: 0521523966

The Art of the Helicopter · John Watkinson · ISBN: 0750657154  ********

--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=298

Enter "helicopter" in AIAA electronic library for downloadable articles
--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.aircraftdesigns.com/books.html

  MODERN HELICOPTER DESIGN by Dr. Eric Hollmann and M. Hollmann
--------------------------------------------------------

FAA for periferal topics on helos...

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/MainFrame?OpenFrameSet

Enter "helicopter" in search block

Regards, Wil Taylor

I got my book and it is what I had hoped for. Four hundred and some pages of nothing but helicopter. It is the best book on helicopters that I have ever come across and I am delighted to have it on my shelf. A lot of math that I can not cope with but also a lot of diagrams of parts and they are excellant for copying or taking pictures of. I got this book from a firm on the internet named Alibris.com that apparently deals in older used books.

jvp

Hi Jplot,

Nice to know that you got the Shapiro's book. I think I will also order it from Alibris.com.

Thanks,
aero^2