X-3 with a French Alpha Jet (© Anthony Pecchi - 2013 ) In the framework of Europe’s Clean Sky 2 Joint Technology Initiative, which was f...
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| X-3 with a French Alpha Jet (© Anthony Pecchi - 2013) |
Airbus will base the design on its now retired X3 compound hybrid helicopter testbed.
The LifeRCraft compound aircraft would combine higher cruise speeds with excellent vertical takeoff and landing performance. The design is targeting a cruise speed of 220kt. The X3 has already achieved a level flight speed of 255 knots (472 km/hr), the highest speed reached by a helicopter.
The LifeRCraft will feature fixed wings for energy-efficient lift, open propellers for high-efficiency propulsion, and a main rotor that provides VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) flight capabilities.
Airbus Helicopters will perform preliminary studies, architecture and specification activity starting this year, with development and testing of component and subsystems planned in the 2016-2018 timeframe. Flight tests is targeted to start in early 2019.
Launched in 2008, Clean Sky is a multi-year public-private partnership involving the European Commission and Europe’s aviation industry, with the goal of bringing significant step changes to reducing the sector’s environmental impact. Through a multi-phase approach, Clean Sky 2 is the continuation to the progress achieved in the first Clean Sky Programme which will end in 2017.
It intends to speed up technological breakthrough developments and shorten the time-to-market for more competitive and cleaner air transport solutions tested on full scale demonstrators.
Through open calls Clean Sky 2 will involve a range of partners throughout Europe, in particular SMEs.
The X3 was based on Airbus Helicopter's AS365 Dauphin helicopter airframe, featuring two turboshaft engines to power both a five-blade helicopter main rotor and two propellers installed on short-span fixed wings.
LifeRCraft's affordable operating costs, will make it well-suited for such vital public service duties as emergency medical airlift, search and rescue, coast guard and border patrol operations.
