At the air show in Le Bourget, European aircraft builders from Airbus showed the concept of a Rapid And Cost-Effective Rotorcraft (RACER) helicopter, conceptually close to the experimental Eurocopter X3.
The Franco-German company Airbus Helicopters, a subsidiary of the Airbus Group, will be remembered for one of the brightest presentations of the air show that began in Le Bourget. Europeans decided to follow the trendy trend and showed the world a high-speed helicopter. But if in the US they are actively working on high-speed rotary-wing military machines, then the presented RACER concept is needed to solve peaceful tasks. It is being developed as part of the Clean Sky 2 research program. The purpose of Airbus is to create a helicopter with a cruising speed of more than 400 km / h.
Constructively Rapid And Cost-Effective Rotorcraft is similar to the famous high-speed rotary wing Eurocopter X3. There is, however, an important difference. The X3 has two pulling propellers in addition to the rotor, and the RACER is equipped with two propelling propellers. The carrier screw of the new Airbus concept has five blades, there is no tail rotor.
To build a technology demonstrator will allocate 200 million euros (224 million dollars). The assembly of the first prototype is planned for 2019, the first flight of the car should be made in 2020. Technologies tested on Rapid And Cost-Effective Rotorcraft, will form the basis of a serial helicopter. It can appear around the 2030th.
The technology demonstrator employs more than 30 Airbus Helicopters partners from 13 countries, mostly European. So, Safran Helicopters Engines will supply the engines RTM322, which are equipped with helicopters NH90 and X3. And the wings will be made by General Electric.
Earlier we could already see the general concept of RACER: in 2016 Airbus company issued a patent for such a rotorcraft. The media positioned this unit as the fastest helicopter in the world. Now the Eurocopter X3, which has developed a speed of 472 km / h, holds the palm of the championship.