Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Airbus Racer high-speed helicopter, a part of the European Research Clean Sky 2 initiative, has successfully achieved its target fast cruise speed of 407 km/h (220 knots). On June 21, less than two months following its maiden flight, the Racer surpassed this goal, attaining a speed of 420 km/h (227 knots) in its initial configuration. Over seven flights and approximately nine hours of flight testing, nearly the entire flight envelope has been explored.
“This achievement in such a short space of time is really a testimony to the hard work of our 40 partners in 13 European countries to bring all of this innovation to flight. On top of its performance, the aircraft’s aerodynamic behavior and stability are promising. We are all looking forward to the next phase of flight testing, especially the eco-mode which will enable us to shut down one engine in forward flight, thus reducing fuel consumption, and lowering the CO2 emissions,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.
The flight test team included Chief Flight Test Pilot Hervé Jammayrac, Flight Test Engineer Dominique Fournier, and Test Flight Engineer Christophe Skorlic. The upcoming phase of testing will concentrate on single engine operations and the completion of the flight envelope.
Designed for a cruise speed exceeding 400 km/h, the Racer aims to balance speed, cost-efficiency, and mission performance effectively. The Racer is also set to reduce fuel consumption by approximately 20% compared to current helicopters in the same maximum take-off weight class, due to its aerodynamic design and an innovative eco-mode propulsion system. This hybrid-electric eco-mode system, developed with Safran Helicopter Engines, allows one of the two Aneto-1X engines to be paused during cruise flight, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. Additionally, the Racer’s unique architecture aims to demonstrate a reduced operational acoustic footprint.