Helicopter: Successful First Flight For Sikorsky's X2 TechnologyDemonstrator

www.Defensedaily.com
Successful First Flight For Sikorsky's X2 Technology Demonstrator
Sikorsky [UTX] last week successfully completed the first flight of
its X2 Technology Demonstrator, maneuvering the prototype aircraft
through hover, forward flight, and a hover turn, in a test flight that
lasted approximately 30 minutes.
Sikorsky Chief Test Pilot Kevin Bredenbeck conducted the test flight
at Sikorsky's Schweizer Aircraft Corp. rapid-prototyping facility in
Horseheads, N.Y.
Sikorsky Aircraft has developed X2 Technology alone, without
involvement by the armed services or other customers.
"We have, however, discussed the technology and potential applications
with the armed services, and they have shown strong interest," Paul
Jackson, a Sikorsky spokesman, told Defense Daily. "We are continuing
to have these discussions."
The program reached the successful first flight milestone after more
than four years of design, development and testing of the Demonstrator
aircraft's suite of technologies that are intended to advance the
state-of-the-art, counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter.
"The X2 technologies, while integrated in the demonstrator, can apply
separately to other aircraft, Jackson said. "For example, the fly-by-
wire system is a big part of the UH- 60M Upgrade Program." Sikorsky
produces the UH-60M Black Hawk, extensively used by the military.
"Today's achievement is the result of dedicated effort by the entire
X2 Technology Demonstrator Program Team" James Kagdis, program
manager, Advanced Programs, said in a statement. "It is proof of the
complete commitment by Sikorsky Aircraft to this program and to the
exploration of innovation in aviation. We look forward to expanding
the flight envelope for this Demonstrator and will continue to conduct
market analysis to determine the next steps for this important
program."
The X2 Technology Demonstrator is designed to establish that a
helicopter can cruise comfortably at 250 knots, while retaining such
desirable helicopter attributes as excellent low speed handling,
efficient hovering, and safe autorotation, combined with a seamless
and simple transition to high speed.
Sikorsky President Jeffrey Pino said the successful first flight
attests to the company's commitment to excellence and to industry-
leading innovation.
"X2 Technology has crossed a major threshold," Pino said. "The team's
achievement sets the stage for the next series of tests eventually
leading to maximum speed. It also sparks the imagination for what
ultimately the technology can mean to the future of the rotorcraft
industry. We are far from having a product, but closer than ever to
realizing the potential."
Among the innovative technologies the X2 Technology Demonstrator
employs a
Fly-by-wire flight controls;
Counter-rotating, all-composite rigid rotor blades;
Hub drag reduction;
Active vibration control; and
Integrated auxiliary propulsion system.
In June 2005, Sikorsky first announced the initiative to develop an
integrated suite of technologies called X2 Technology.
Key suppliers for the X2 Technology Demonstrator a
Eagle Aviation Technologies Inc.: Main rotor blades, miscellaneous
composite hardware;
Goodrich Corp. [GR]: SmartProbe(TM) air data system and engineering
support;
Hamilton Sundstrand [UTX].: Flight Control Computers, active vibration
control, engineering support;
Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Co. (LHTEC), a partnership between
Rolls-Royce/Honeywell [HON]: working on engines and engineering
support; and
Moog [MOG.A]: active vibration actuation, consignment MU/EU
components, and engineering support.

Inside the Air Force
Estimated to surpass 250 knots . . .
SIKORSKY: X2 IS ANSWER TO FUTURE HELICOPTER SPEED REQUIREMENTS
Date: August 1, 2008
Sikorsky officials are touting the company’s X2 technology
demonstrator as an answer to future commercial and military helicopter
needs because of its enhanced speed capabilities. Top speeds for the
double-rotor helicopter are expected to surpass 250 knots, they say.
The X2 has two rotor systems that counter-rotate, and the blades are
stiffer than conventional ones, allowing the platform to shorten the
length between the two, which sit on top of each other, Sikorsky
president Jeffrey Pino said during a July 14 briefing at the
Farnborough Airshow in England. The first flight of the helicopter
should occur within the next fiscal quarter, and the test will ensure
that company engineers have the loads, dynamics and center of gravity
correct, he said. The helicopter will not have the helicopter’s
forward-facing thruster prop installed during the first flight. “It’ll
come down again for a couple of months, and then we’ll start the
expansion of the flight envelope to what we believe will be over 250
knots by the middle of next year,” Pino added. “What are we going to
do with it? I have no clue. But I’ve got to believe that, if speed
becomes an issue, that’s an airplane that, without converting, can
solve the issues of speed.” The question remains, however, on “how
much are people willing to pay to go 100 knots faster” than with
conventional helicopters, he said. In addition to its increased speed,
the X2 will have one-third the turning radius of a conventional single-
main-rotor helicopter, “making it much more responsive, maneuverable,
agile, and flexible to meet our prospective customers’ diverse mission
sets,” Jim Kagdis, Sikorsky’s manager of advanced programs, said in a
July 30 e-mail. A successful test program -- including demonstrated
cruise speeds of 250 knots, with low noise, vibration and workload --
coupled with a future look at markets will ultimately determine the
company’s next product move, Kagdis said. Specific customer
requirements and timelines will drive new product initial operational
capability dates. Initial customer feedback shows the company that the
X2 has the potential to enhance emergency medical response, search and
rescue, offshore oil crew transport operations in addition to military
forward reconnaissance, armed escort and fast-attack missions, Kagdis
added. “For example, imagine an X2 configured, close air support
aircraft is launched from a ship to escort a slower tilt rotor troop
transport,” he said. “The X2 rapidly reaches the area of operations
and provides close air support, seamlessly and with high
maneuverability and agility. It then progresses at high speed to the
next phase of the mission. “A conventional single main rotor
helicopter’s forward speed is governed by retreating blade stall,”
Kagdis continued. “The X2 Technology design relies on a counter-
rotating, co-axial main rotor system configuration which counters the
retreating blade stall and allows for significantly increased forward
speed. Since there is no anti-torque system required, a high
performance pusher prop supplies thrust at high speed.” At
Farnborough, Pino said, “Quite frankly, [the X2 demonstrator] should
have flown by now, but we’re going to fly it when it is safe and ready
to fly.” Kagdis explained that the company “will never take
unnecessary risk” in a demonstration program, and the program is
entirely company-funded, without any deadlines that would come with
having a customer-committed launch. “When you add these two things
together, you get a very methodical pace to test, [analyze] and
retest, with emphasis on ensuring every stage is safely planned and
executed,” he said. “The whole process has gone surprisingly smoothly
but we’ve taken a bit longer than originally anticipated. We now have
well over a dozen hours of ground test time on the X2 Technology
Demonstrator, so I’m confident in saying first flight is within arm’s
reach.” The X2 is the solution to one of Sikorsky’s three technology
focuses -- speed, according to Pino. Another focus is autonomous
flight, which is envisioned as a design in which the helicopter will
have a switch that can be thrown that notes if there is one, two or no
pilots flying the mission, with the operation being carried out
without degradation to performance, he said. The third focus is in the
concept of a “self-actualized” helicopter, in which the platform can
automatically adapt, reconfigure, report and order its parts, Pino
continued. The company already monitors all S-92 helicopters in the
world, incorporating algorithms that show how long the helicopter can
fly with its current parts and automatically orders the maintenance
required.