By Jack Loughran, Thu 16 May 2024
Collected at : https://eandt.theiet.org/2024/05/16/airbus-shows-its-helicopter-plane-hybrid-vehicle-public-first-time
Airbus has unveiled its helicopter-plane hybrid vehicle, dubbed the Racer, to the public for the first time.
The Racer combines a unique architecture comprised of both a helicopter rotor and fixed wing and propulsive propellers to allow it to take off vertically and fly fast like an aeroplane at speeds of more than 400 km/h.
Airbus demonstrated the capabilities of the aircraft to partners in its Clean Sky 2 research project in France’s southern port city of Marseille.
The hybrid-electrical eco-mode system allows one of the two Aneto-1X engines to be paused while in cruise flight to cut CO2 emissions. When one engine is not operating, the Racer flies slightly slower but cuts fuel consumption by about 20%. The performance of the wings is also optimised in all phases of flight, thanks to the use of flaps placed on the trailing edge, which allow them to provide around 40% of the total lift.
The aircraft includes what Airbus describes as an “innovative engine power management” system, as well as advanced autopilot capabilities. The concept was first unveiled at the 2017 Paris air show, but it did not achieve its first flight until last month when it flew for about 30 minutes to allow Airbus to check the overall behaviour of the aircraft.
“The aim of the Racer is not to go as fast as possible, but to offer enhanced operational capabilities at the right price for missions where speed can really be an asset,” said Julien Guitton, who heads the Racer programme. “When we ask end users whether high speeds are of interest to them, the answer is invariably, ‘yes, but.’ Speed at any price, without taking into account the economic and environmental impact, is of no interest to anyone.”
When the project was launched, it aimed to achieve a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared with a conventional aircraft of the same weight, and an equally significant reduction in the noise footprint. The initial flights showed that the Racer had managed to meet both of these requirements.
“The flight control system and autopilot enable us to take full advantage of all the possibilities offered by the compound formula,” Guitton added. “By adjusting the distribution of power between the rotors, we can alter the position of the aircraft and carry out totally unprecedented low-noise approaches.”
In recent financial results, Airbus reported strong sales of its planes in 2023, despite various supply chain problems, which suggests it has finally shaken off the impact of reduced demand during the pandemic.
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