Civilian Tilt Rotors and Pusher Helicopters Head for Production

Civilian Tilt Rotors and Pusher Helicopters Head for Production:

Photo: AgustaWestland

Two different helicopter companies announced plans to sell two very different, but very fast, innovative aircraft this week. The first is a smaller, civilian version of the military’s V-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The second is a production version of Eurocopter’s X3 helicopter that featured a pair of propellers to push the rotor wing aircraft to very high speeds.

The AgustaWestland AW609 has been an on again, off again project for nearly a decade. First flown in 2003 as the Bell-Agusta 609, the tilt-rotor aircraft borrows much of the same technology ideas from its military big brother, the Bell-Boeing Osprey. The aircraft has since transferred hands to AgustaWestland, a European helicopter company after Bell Helicopter sold its interest in the 609.

AgustaWestland says it is planning on certification for the tilt rotor in 2016. There are still 70 of the aircraft on the order books according to Rotor & Wing. The vertical take-off weight of the AW609 is 16,800 pounds, compared to nearly 53,000 pounds for the Osprey. Aimed at customers currently using medium-lift helicopters, the tilt rotor will gain the upper hand on its rotary wing competitors with its maximum speed of 275 knots (316 miles per hour) and 800 mile range. Unlike the Osprey the AW609 is pressurized, making higher altitude flights possible. The company expects it can sell up to 500 of the tilt rotors to civilian and government customers.

Eurocopter is planning on developing a production version of its X3 technology demonstrator. The X3 managed to fly more than 230 knots (265 miles per hour) last year. Though it fell short of the Sikorsky X2 top speed, it is still significantly faster than typical helicopters.

With a maximum weight of around 10,000 pounds, Eurocopter says the production version – currently being called the X4 to keep things confusing – is expected to make its first flight in 2015. Company CEO Lutz Bertling told Aviation Week the X4 will reduce noise by 70 percent and fuel consumption by 30 percent compared to similarly size helicopters. But not all of the technology from the X3 will be used initially.

The X4 will feature fly-by-wire controls and Eurocopter says it will not introduce any of the speedy technology from the X3 demonstrator – the extra propellers presumably – until 2020.