Eurocopter Testing 220-knot-plus X3

Eurocopter has started test flights of the X3 demonstrator, a high-speed, long-range hybrid Helicopter (H3) concept that the company says combines excellent vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with fast cruise speeds of more than 220 knots. The X3 demonstrator is equipped with two turboshaft engines that power a five-blade main rotor system and two propellers installed on short-span fixed wings. This creates a hybrid aircraft offering the speed of a turboprop-powered airplane and the full hover flight capabilities of a helicopter. The concept is tailored to applications where operational costs, flight duration and mission success depend directly on the maximum cruising speed, according to Eurocopter.

Sikorsky's X2 technology demonstrator recently reached 250 knots using a twin coaxial rotor blade system.

Eurocopter says a wide range of missions are possible with the H3 configuration, including long-distance search and rescue (SAR) missions, coast guard duties, border patrol missions, executive transport and inter-city shuttle services. It also may be well-suited for military missions in special forces operations, troop transport, combat SAR and medical evacuation, benefitting from the hybrid aircraft's combination of higher cruise speeds with excellent vertical takeoff/landing performance.

"Innovation is at the core of Eurocopter's strategy to continue its leadership in the global helicopter sector, and the X3 demonstrator represents a key element of our innovation roadmap," said Lutz Bertling, Eurocopter president & CEO. "The teams at Eurocopter took this hybrid helicopter from concept to first flight in less than three years, which demonstrates their skills, capabilities and dedication to defining the future of rotary-wing aircraft."

The X3 demonstrator's first flight took place on September 6 in southern France at the Istres Flight Test Center. Initial testing will continue through December with reduced power, progressively opening the flight envelope to speeds of approximately 180 kts. After a three-month upgrade, X3 flights will resume in March with the goal of reaching sustained cruise speeds in excess of 220 kts.

Word that the X3 was in the works first leaked out at the 2009 Heli-Expo show. There was no word on when a production helicopter based on the H3 concept might reach the market.