May 22, 2013
As an experienced Army pilot, Brent Pafford's love for helicopters has only continued to grow after two deployments to Iraq and one around the United States. Pafford, MS ASE ‘13, has been named the 2013 recipient of the Robert Lichten Award. The award, given by the American Helicopter Society (AHS), was established to encourage society members who have not previously presented their research results at a technical forum to begin presenting their work at local and regional AHS meetings.
After graduating from The United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in aerospace engineering (BS '04), Pafford spent time flying for the Army before coming to The University of Texas to pursue his master’s degree.
He chose to pursue his graduate degree at UT because his interests aligned with those of Dr. Jayant Sirohi's. One project the team has been working on is to create and implement magnetohydrodynamic plasma actuators for aerodynamic stall control. Just as the stall of an airplane wing limits the low speed possibilities of an airplane, the stall of a rotor blade limits the high speed potential of a helicopter. At high speeds, a helicopter’s relative wind flows against the rotational speed of the retreating blade, creating low Mach numbers and very high angles of attack.
As a result, the retreating blade begins to stall, limiting the forward speed of the helicopter. Sirohi and Pafford have created a device designed to accelerate air flow in the vicinity of the plasma actuators that possess the potential to delay boundary layer separation. By utilizing plasma actuators to delay flow separation across the retreating blade, the team hopes to alleviate the retreating blade stall, allowing helicopters to significantly increase their cruise speed, operating range, payload capability and mission efficiency.
The team’s research could improve the efficiency and capabilities of various aviation related military missions by overcoming speed, weight and distance limitations. Improving the mission capability of helicopters will increase the operating range and station time for helicopters, providing close air support to the ground force commander. By increasing the maximum cruise speed, the en-route time will be reduced for transporting wounded soldiers during an air medical evacuation. Furthermore, a growth in payload capability will aid the military not only during combat operations, but during humanitarian disaster relief missions as well.
Having just graduated this May, Pafford will be now be returning to his alma mater, West Point, where he will serve as an instructor in the mechanical engineering department. He will also fly cadets on airplanes for aerodynamic flight labs several times a week.
With nine years of military experience under his belt, Pafford plans to serve until retirement. Thanks to a wonderful research experience at UT, he hopes to continue doing research.
"UT has been a great experience," Pafford said. "This is the first time I've done research on this level. I am grateful for the opportunity to drive the research I love at my own pace."
Despite being unable to walk across the stage during graduation due to extended flight training obligations for the Army at Fort Rucker, he will receive $750 for his Robert Lichten Award and be honored at the AHS 69th Annual Forum and Technology Display in Phoenix, Arizona. The forum, which takes place May 21-23, is the world's leading international conference on vertical flight technology and includes 250 technical presentations.
