Program Paved The Way For The Upcoming S-97 Raider
Helicopter
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.'s X2 Technology demonstrator has flown
for the last time, the company announced Thursday. In an early
morning demonstration flight conducted from the company's new
Sikorsky Innovations Center within its Development Flight Center,
the X2 Technology demonstrator gave invited guests one last look at
its technology in flight before officially being retired and
transitioning to its first application, the S-97 Raider
helicopter.
X2 Demonstrator Final Flight
It was the 23rd test flight of the award-winning X2 aircraft,
which flew approximately 22 total hours and achieved a maximum
cruise speed of 253 knots in level flight at its peak point in the
program. That milestone, an unofficial speed record for a
conventional helicopter, was achieved on Sept. 15, 2010.
"This flight is the culmination of a five-year, internally
funded program to expand the operational envelope of helicopters,"
said Sikorsky President Jeffrey Pino. "The results of this program
speak to the success of a rapid prototyping environment, where a
small empowered team was able to meet a specific number of very
challenging goals. We met these within a small budget and a
compressed schedule.
"The X2 program also has helped to develop the next generation
of Sikorsky engineers, including some who are now in key positions
on the S-97 Raider program and the Firefly electric helicopter
program. Today, the entire Sikorsky workforce stands proud of this
accomplishment and what it means for the future of rotorcraft
aviation," Pino said.
The S-97 Raider helicopter program is the follow-on program to
the X2 Technology demonstrator initiative. Sikorsky Vice President
of Research & Engineering Mark Miller said the S-97 Raider
program will design, build and fly two prototype light tactical
helicopters to enable the U.S. military to evaluate the viability
of a fast and maneuverable next-generation rotorcraft for a variety
of combat missions. A number of Sikorsky's military and commercial
customers were on hand to observe today's final X2 Technology
demonstrator flight.
"This program will produce two prototype assault/attack aircraft
with six-passenger cabins and the ability to carry armament,"
Miller said. "In addition to the superior speed and maneuverability
of X2 Technology, these aircraft are designed to be capable of
10,000-foot hover out of ground effect on a 95-degree day. The
future awaits this technology, and today we can say that we see it
on the horizon."
The X2 Technology program began in 2005 when Sikorsky first
committed resources and full funding, ultimately $50 million, for
the program's development. Earlier this year, the X2
Technology™ demonstrator team won the 2010 Robert J. Collier
Trophy, awarded annually to recognize the greatest achievements in
aeronautics or astronautics in America.
In addition to winning the 2010 Collier Trophy, over the past
two years the X2 Technology demonstrator received numerous
accolades including the 2010 Hughes Award from the American
Helicopter Society and Aviation Week's "One of the Top 10
Technologies to Watch" for 2010. In 2009, it won a Popular
Mechanics Breakthrough Innovator Award, and a Popular Science "Best
of What's New" award. It also was named "One of 2009's Best
Inventions" by Time.
S-97 Raider Sikorsky Image
Among the technologies the X2 Technology demonstrator employs
are:
- Fly-by-wire flight controls
- Counter-rotating rigid rotor blades
- Hub drag reduction
- Active vibration control
- Integrated auxiliary propulsion system
Like the X2 Technology demonstrator, the S-97 Raider helicopter
will be designed to feature twin coaxial counter-rotating main
rotors and a pusher propeller that enables an X2-designed
helicopter to cruise at 220 knots. Other innovative technologies
include fly-by-wire flight controls, hub drag reduction, active
vibration control, and an integrated auxiliary propulsion
system.
The X2 design is scalable, opening up a variety of potential
mission uses including joint-multi-role such as combat search and
rescue, armed aerial scout, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), attack,
VIP transport, and offshore oil.
The X2 Technology demonstrator combines an integrated suite of
technologies intended to advance the state-of-the-art,
counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter. It is designed to
demonstrate a helicopter can cruise comfortably at 250 knots while
retaining such desirable attributes as excellent low speed
handling, efficient hovering, and a seamless and simple transition
to high speed.