High-Speed Airbus Vehicle Accelerates Beyond 400 Kilometers per Hour
In a significant breakthrough, the Airbus Racer high-speed helicopter demonstrator has surpassed its speed target during initial flight tests. The aircraft reached an impressive speed of 420 km/h (227 knots), marking a significant step forward in high-speed helicopter technology.
The Racer demonstrator is part of the European Research Clean Sky 2 project, a collaborative effort involving 40 partners in 13 European countries. The project's primary focus is on developing ultra-efficient short- and medium-range architectures that leverage integrated thermal propulsion, aiming for significant fuel efficiency improvements.
Airbus is aiming for the Racer to provide step-change improvements in fuel efficiency and environmental impact through advanced propulsion integration and aerodynamic design refinements. The program integrates eco-mode capabilities to reduce fuel burn and emissions during various flight phases, supporting commitments to sustainability in rotorcraft operations.
The next phase of flight testing will also include the eco-mode, which allows for the shutdown of one engine during forward flight, reducing fuel consumption and lowering CO2 emissions. This innovative feature, developed in collaboration with Safran Helicopter Engines, allows one of the two Aneto-1X engines to be paused during cruise flight.
The Racer demonstrator is optimized for a cruise speed exceeding 400 km/h and is expected to reduce fuel consumption by approximately 20%, compared to current generation helicopters in the same maximum take-off weight category. The aircraft's architecture is designed to contribute to a lower operational acoustic footprint, making it a more environmentally friendly option.
In just seven flights and about nine hours of flight testing, the flight envelope of the Racer demonstrator has been almost entirely opened. The flight crew, led by Hervé Jammayrac, Chief Flight Test Pilot, Dominique Fournier, Flight Test Engineer, and Christophe Skorlic, Test Flight Engineer, have been instrumental in achieving these milestones.
The CEO of Airbus Helicopters, Bruno Even, stated that the aircraft's aerodynamic behavior and stability are promising, indicating a bright future for this high-speed helicopter. The planned developments focus on continuing flight testing to refine performance and fuel efficiency, with a key goal being to enhance operational range, aiming for missions up to 500 nautical miles, with typical missions around 250 NM.
This achievement was accomplished less than two months after the first flight of the Racer demonstrator, marking a rapid pace of development. The Racer demonstrator's success aligns with Clean Aviation's broader strategy for high-efficiency, sustainable rotorcraft, paving the way for a more eco-friendly future in helicopter technology.
The Racer demonstrator, a collaborative initiative among 40 partners in 13 European nations under the European Research Clean Sky 2 project, is not only focused on high-speed helicopter technology but also aims to integrate cleaner finance and eco-friendly aerospace technology.
Airbus Helicopters, in their commitment to sustainable rotorcraft operations, plans to leverage this technology to further invest in future developments in the finance and technology sectors of the aerospace industry, supporting the broader strategy for high-efficiency, sustainable rotorcraft initiated by Clean Aviation.
