Liebher to built Airbus X4 helicopter tail rotor gearbox

Airbus Helicopters have awarded Liebherr a make-to-print contract for the tail rotor gearbox for its under development latest generation X4 ...

Airbus Helicopters have awarded Liebherr a make-to-print contract for the tail rotor gearbox for its under development latest generation X4 helicopters.

Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH, Lindenberg (Germany), will manufacture the gearbox according to the helicopter manufacturer’s drawings at its production site in Friedrichshafen. The plant is specialized in high-precision production of gears for the aerospace industry.
In the past, Airbus Helicopters and Liebherr-Aerospace successfully cooperated when Liebherr, for instance, manufactured the tail rotor gearbox for the EC145 T2 helicopter. In addition to the gearboxes for the X4 and EC145 T2 program, Liebherr supplies other systems or components for almost all members of Airbus Helicopters’ helicopter family.

In 2011, Airbus Helicopters announced development of the AS365 Dauphin replacement, codenamed X4 and planned to enter service in 2016.

The new generation X4 is 4-6 ton all composite helicopter with five-bladed main rotor and will have a choice of two powerplants: Turbomeca new 1,100shp Arrano 1A or the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210 turboshaft.