Advanced CFD course for Rotorcraft
Online course of 300 hours in advanced CFD for rotorcraft: 6 modules covering rotor aerodynamics, overset meshes and blade motion, advanced unsteady simulation, CFD-CSD coupling, and interactions and aeroacoustics, with an assigned technical tutor.
Advanced CFD course for Rotorcraft — studying from New Zealand
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,080 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Questions from New Zealand
Will the programmes suit me if I work shifts or in remote locations?
The programmes are 100% online, and you can progress through the materials at times that fit your schedule. Start dates are set by the faculty for each intake, so plan ahead around your roster.
Can my employer help fund my study?
Many learners arrange company sponsorship, particularly where the programme relates to current or planned work. Instalment options are also available to spread the cost.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse rotor aerodynamics in hover and forward flight.
Apply overset mesh techniques to moving blades.
Set up unsteady simulations with hybrid RANS-LES models.
Understand the coupling between CFD and blade structural dynamics.
Assess aerodynamic interactions between rotors and fuselage.
Estimate rotor noise using acoustic analogies.
Validate simulations against reference experimental databases.
Who it's for
- Rotor aerodynamics engineers moving to high-fidelity simulation.
- High-fidelity CFD analysts applying their skills to rotating wings.
- Aeroelasticity engineers working on coupled blade loads and stability.
- Aeroacoustics engineers predicting rotor noise.
- Rotorcraft researchers using advanced numerical methods.
- eVTOL development engineers designing multirotor configurations.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter helicopter manufacturing.
What you'll work with
- AIAA G-077-1998 (guide for verification and validation of CFD simulations)
- ASME V&V 20-2009 (verification and validation in CFD and heat transfer)
- CS-29 (EASA) (certification specifications for large rotorcraft)
- CS-27 (EASA) (certification specifications for small rotorcraft)
- NASA-STD-7009A (standard for models and simulations)
- ICAO Annex 16 Volume I (helicopter noise certification)
- NASA OVERFLOW
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+
- ANSYS Fluent
- CAMRAD II
- Dymore
6 modules
1.1Momentum theory1.2Blade element momentum theory (BEMT)1.3Axial flight and forward flight1.4Vortex ring state1.5Rotor wake and tip vortices1.6Blade-vortex interaction (BVI)1.7Dynamic stall on the retreating blade1.8Compressibility effects on the advancing blade1.9Free and prescribed wake models1.10Practical exercise: BEMT calculation of a rotor in hover
2.1Chimera mesh technique2.2Near-body and off-body meshes2.3Mesh interpolation and hole cutting2.4Sliding meshes versus overset2.5Flap, lag and pitch kinematics2.6Rotation with a moving reference frame2.7Adaptive mesh in the wake2.8Computational cost and parallelisation2.9Mesh assembly in the solver2.10Workshop: overset set-up of a four-bladed rotor
3.1Dual time-stepping schemes3.2Choice of azimuthal step3.3DES, DDES and IDDES hybrid models3.4Tip vortex resolution3.5Numerical dissipation and high-order schemes3.6Phase averaging and periodic convergence3.7Actuator disc and actuator line methods3.8Validation with HART II wind tunnel data3.9Estimation of periodic blade loads3.10Lab: Caradonna-Tung rotor in hover
4.1Blade structural dynamics4.2Beam models for flexible blades4.3Loose and tight coupling4.4Exchange of loads and deformations4.5Trim of the coupled rotor4.6Comprehensive analysis tools4.7Blade aeroelastic stability4.8Response in high-speed forward flight4.9Hub loads and control moments4.10Case study: loose coupling on the UH-60A rotor
5.1Rotor-fuselage aerodynamic interaction5.2Main rotor-tail rotor interaction5.3Ground effect and recirculation5.4Thickness and loading noise5.5Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings analogy5.6BVI noise and broadband noise5.7Tiltrotors and coaxial rotors5.8Noise reduction techniques5.9Rotor noise in multirotor eVTOL5.10Practical exercise: FW-H noise calculation in hover
6.1Definition of the rotor and flight condition6.2Overset meshing strategy6.3Time set-up and turbulence model6.4Simulation and load monitoring6.5Analysis of the wake and load distribution6.6Acoustic estimation at observer points6.7Discussion of validation and uncertainty6.8Comparison with low-fidelity models6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is NASA OVERFLOW, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, CAMRAD II and Dymore, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: simulation of rotors in hover and forward flight, rotor-fuselage interaction studies and rotor noise prediction. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final integrative project.
Standards covered: AIAA G-077-1998, ASME V&V 20-2009, CS-29 (EASA), CS-27 (EASA), NASA-STD-7009A, ICAO Annex 16 Volume I.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer able to run the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with NASA OVERFLOW, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, CAMRAD II and Dymore, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme's software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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