Author: Alex Stoll

By Durand Begault, Ph.D.
Advanced Controls and Displays Group – NASA Ames Research Center

The noise component of future aircraft and operations from Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicles is widely recognized as a challenge to community acceptance. NASA’s RVLT (Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology) program is currently supporting research in the area of human response and psychoacoustics in an effort to augment current metrics for traditional aircraft. This talk will review current work at NASA Ames’ Human Systems Integration Division to evaluate detection, annoyance, and acceptability of UAM sound, in the context of expected ambient sound conditions.

Durand R Begault has worked as a research scientist at NASA Ames since 1988 in the areas of human factors, aerospace communication and warning systems, virtual reality, psychoacoustics, and multimodal research. He is a fellow of the Audio Engineering Society and has over 100 publications and 4 patents assigned to NASA. Dr. Begault recently implemented a multi-channel spatial auditory laboratory for psychoacoustic investigations of UAM sound within the Human Systems Integration Division (Code TH) and works collaboratively with psychoacoustic researchers at NASA Langley Research Center.

Thursday, June 11, 1:00 p.m. PDT
Virtual Seminar – Register Here:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6166279319195353868

Social Event

Come join the VFS local chapter at The SpaceBar for a drink and appetizers and maybe some networking on the side!

All are welcome. VFS members will receive one free drink ticket, and appetizers will be provided! 

NASA Ames Research Park
Building 3, The SpaceBar (Corner of South Akron Rd and Severyns Ave)
Wednesday, February 26, 4:30 – 6:30pm

Visitor passes are not required; however, a government-issued ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.) is required for all visitors to the Research Park, including vehicle passengers.

Non-US (Citizen or Permanent Resident) visitors: you will need an international driver’s license if you will be driving yourself into the Research Park. If you do not have an international driver’s license, you may ride with a US Citizen or Permanent Resident, but you will still need to show a government issued ID (e.g., passport) to the guards at the gate.

2019 VFS Nikolsky Lecture
Design Advantages of an Integrated Cyber-Physical Aircraft
The Path to the Next Generation of Rotorcraft

By Nick Lappos
Senior Fellow – Advanced Technology, Lockheed Martin

Nick Lappos is Lockheed Martin Senior Fellow, for Rotary and Mission Systems, where he is responsible for the Sikorsky Technical Fellow community and the introduction of advanced technologies into new and existing products. Lappos began his Aerospace career in the US Army, where he served a combat tour as an attack helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He joined at Sikorsky Aircraft in 1973. Through 2005 and then again from 2011 to present, he has served in a variety of roles at Sikorsky, including as program director for the S-92® helicopter during its development and certification. Under his leadership, the program earned the Robert J. Collier Trophy. Lappos also served as director of Test Engineering and as assistant chief and chief Research and Development test pilot, logging more than 7,500 hours of flight time in over 70 different types of helicopters.

Wednesday, November 6, 1:00pm
NASA Ames Research Center, Bldg N258, Room 127

Visitors to Ames will require a visitor badge.
Please contact Natasha Shatzman to obtain a visitor badge.
Non-US persons – please contact Natasha ASAP, and we will do our best to get you a visitor badge.

Evolving Priorities for Vertical Lift: A University View

By Prof. Narayanan Komerath
Georgia Institute of Technology

The presenter considers his experience of planning and guiding university research since 1982. From the effect of the Attack Helicopter on the Cold War MAD equation, to disaster response, mountain operations and planetary exploration, vertical lift systems have posed unique opportunities and capabilities. He will reflect on how these historical and current news items translated to university research.

Four application opportunities are in present view:

1. Options to skip over traffic congestion.
2. UAV swarms as combat aircraft.
3. Rural delivery, facilitating a reversal of urban migration.
4. Ultralight rotorcraft and their potential in exploration, communications and in countering sea level rise and climate change.

(If you have any doubts that we have been saving and will continue to save the world, this should end those!)

Narayanan Komerath holds a B.Tech in aeronautical engineering (IIT Madras), MSAE in aerospace propulsion and PhD in AE (turbulent combustion), both from Georgia Tech. He has worked for 37 years at the School of AE at Georgia Tech. He has been a part of what is now the Army/NASA/Navy/FAA Vertical Lift Rotorcraft Center of Excellence, among other projects, since 1982. Since 1990 he has directed operations at the John J. Harper wind tunnel.

Tuesday, September 17, 10:00 a.m.
NASA Ames Research Center, Bldg N258, Room 127

Visitors to Ames will require a visitor badge.
Please contact Carl Russell (carl.r.russell@nasa.gov) to obtain a visitor badge. Unfortunately, due to the short notice for this talk, we are only able to accommodate US Citizens and Permanent Residents.