Helikopter - Hastighetsrekorden er nå i Europa- Uoffisielt

Eurocopter X³ Sets Unofficial Helicopter Speed Record
Eurocopter announced today that its X³ compound helicopter demonstrator flew at 255 knots in level flight on Friday near Istres in southeast France. Also part of the unofficial speed record was a descent at 263 knots. These speeds are just a few knots higher than those the Sikorsky X2 semi-compound demonstrator attained in 2010. “The X³ performed exactly as it has so far throughout its flight envelope, exhibiting outstanding stability and providing a low vibration level without any anti-vibration system,” test pilot Hervé Jammayrac said. During the high-speed run, it was flying at about 10,000 feet with landing-gear doors, which it did not have previously, and a new fairing on the rotor hub. The rotor-hub fairing might also provide benefits to other Eurocopter models, according to flight-test engineer Dominique Fournier. To date, the X³ has flown 140 hours since its 2010 introduction. Based on the AS365 Dauphin airframe, it features a single main rotor and stub wings that each carry a propeller. While helicopters usually fly at 140 to 150 knots in cruise, the concept is aimed at proving that 220 knots is a sweet spot where speed is economically profitable.