The Eurocopter X3 Begins its US Tour by Paul Pitts. | The JetAv Blog | Premier Jet Aviation
Earlier this month I wrote about the helicopter industry’s search for higher horizontal speeds and the aerodynamic and economic challenges in both. This week I had the privilege of seeing the Eurocopter X3 (“X-cube”) in flight as Eurocopter launched the United States Tour for its X3 demonstrator on Wednesday. Identified as a technology demonstrator rather than a prototype of a particular model, it appeared to a crowd of hundreds including operators, government officials and spectators at the company’s US subsidiary, American Eurocopter facility in Grand Prairie, Texas.
The company claims a 232 knot cruse performance to date during testing with a target far beyond these speeds. During the flight demonstration, the aircraft flew at 200 knots (restricted by airspace regulations), a climb of 5000 feet per minute from cruise and from a hover transition. In an OGE hover is appeared stable during a 360 turn as well a showing maneuverability. In horizontal flight, the ship went through a number of maneuvers and there it was maneuverable and stable. The company says the rotor turns at 318 rpm powered by a EC135 gearbox while the two propellers suspended on wings rotate at 2000 rpm controlled by a common gearbox adapted from the EC175. There is plenty of horsepower available with power provided by two Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 turboshaft engines, each having power of 1693 KW.
I was impressed with the aircraft’s stability, speed, and in a climb performance. I would have liked to see a demonstration of the aircraft in an In-Ground-Effect Hover, especially with the good South wind blowing this morning. It is noisy. Helicopter folks will recognize the sound of the blades flapping as the rotor unloads in flight but most of the time this was masked by the high pitch screech coming from the aircraft. From my vantage point this is due to the propeller or engine turbines or both. I am sure one of my many propulsion engineer friends will soon help me understand this too. And I am certain Eurocopter will work on this as the Europeans are much more sensitive to noise than we here in the States.
Eurocopter sees this technology as having applications in both military and commercial applications. According to the company, these applications include Search and Rescue (SAR), Border Security, Drug Law Enforcement, Emergency Medicine, Coastal Patrol, Oil and Gas Field, Military Medivac as well as many others. Their marketing strategy for now seems clear. Planned stops during the X3’s U.S. summer tour include Redstone Army Arsenal Airfield in Alabama; Fort Bragg’s Simmons Army Airfield in North Carolina; the Manassas Regional Airport in Virginia; and various military sites around Washington, D.C.