Chair of Helicopter Technologies

Overview of Important Topics

Since 1 March 2019, Professor Christoph Keßler holds the new chair for helicopter technology at the Faculty of Transport Sciences "Friedrich List" at the Technical University of Dresden This chair has been established between the TU Dresden and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). From 2007 to 2019, he was Head of the Helicopter Department at DLR's Institute of Flight Systems. He has been nominated as Vice Director of the Institute since 2019. The institute is located at the research airport of DLR’s site in Braunschweig. Prof. Keßler is very well networked nationally and internationally with research institutions and industry.

Courses/Studies

The module "Helicopter Technology" is offered as a course in this subject area, consisting of two lectures: Part 1 "Fundamentals" and Part 2 "Dynamics and Flight Mechanics". The module is aimed at students of Transport Engineering and is part of the catalogue of compulsory elective modules and the Master's degree programme in Air Transport and Logistics. In addition, students of mechanical engineering (e.g. aerospace engineering or simulation methods in mechanical engineering) and mechatronics are also addressed by the module. There is also the possibility of internships, bachelor and master/diploma theses.

Research

DLR's Helicopter Department conducts primarily application-oriented research on numerous issues relevant to helicopters and wind turbines. This ranges from the development and validation of simulation software for the investigation of aeromechanical phenomena for helicopters to the testing of pilot assistance systems to increase safety in flight. The aim is also to deepen research cooperation with the TU Dresden and to build up research expertise at the Institute of Aviation and Logistics.

The Chair of Helicopter Technologies

The chair for helicopter technology at the Institute of Aviation and Logistics (IfL) of the Faculty of Transport "Friedrich List" at the Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden) complements the existing range of lectures and research on fixed-wing aircraft and deals with rotorcraft in general and helicopters in particular.

The research work for the chair mainly takes place at the Institute of Flight Systems at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Braunschweig. DLR utilizes large-scale research facilities such as rotor test rigs, flight simulators and helicopters. Research goals are to increase safety and sustainability. Wind turbines represent an extension of the research portfolio. Here, research focuses on loads, both prediction and reduction through active intervention in the control system.

At present, more than 50 scientists and technicians work at the Institute of Flight Systems in the Helicopter Department. However, the aim is also to establish research topics on rotorcraft at the TU Dresden and thus to offer students direct access to challenging research topics in addition to the range of lectures.