Commercial jetliners have been the preferred mode of travel for celebrities, executives and wealthy travellers for decades but if Airbus gets its way, there will be new competition in the market for luxury travel in the form of a commercial helicopter that can reach speeds of up to 250mph.

While browsing around for the latest and greatest in technological innovations, I found an intersting article entitled 'Airbus Reveals High-Speed Helicopter Project Racer' published on a site called Robb Report. The article talked about the future of helicopter travel and specifically a gamechanger in the field of commercial travel.

Helicopters have a great advantage over conventional airplanes—they can take off and land from small spaces like a city rooftop or a rural backyard. But they do have one drawback—they’re slow. Airbus Helicopters is working to change that with its new design concept, unveiled this summer at the Paris Air Show. Working with the European-wide Clean Sky 2 program that aims to create more efficient, quieter aircraft, Airbus is building the full-scale Racer, short for Rapid And Cost-Effective Rotorcraft, and plans to fly it by 2020. The one-of-a-kind technology demonstrator will try out a number of advanced features and will cruise at speeds up to 250 mph.

According to the article helicopters have a major advantage over commercial jetliners due to their ability to take off and land from places like rooftops or backyards. This is extremely desirable because not everyone has access to a personal runway or enough space to operate a commercial jetliner safely.

The biggest drawback of helicopter travel when compared to commercial jetliner is the speed of travel. Traditional helicopters have not been the fastest means of travel but that is about to change with an Airbus helicopter model that can travel at speeds of up to 250 mph.

The aircraft has evolved from a previous experiment, the X3 prototype, which Airbus flew in 2013, setting a helicopter speed record of 293 mph in level flight. The new Racer brings the concept closer to a commercial design, and aims to demonstrate its speed and efficiency for a variety of missions. The boxy wing design, which also was tested on the X3, provides a boost to the main rotor’s lift when flying in cruise mode. During ground operations, the wing also helps to shield the passengers from the “pusher” rotors. Those rotors, which generate thrust in forward flight, are driven by two RTM322 engines, built by Safran Helicopter Engines, based in France. The engines also power the main rotor.

According to the article this new Racer is the evolution of a project called the X3 prototype which set the world record for helicopter speed of 293 mph!

The experiment extends to the fuselage, which is built from hybrid metallic-composite materials, which are designed to be lightweight and easy to maintain. The Racer also uses a new high-voltage direct-current electrical generator, contributing a significant weight reduction compared to the current technology, according to Airbus. “The technical solution we have put forward is very appealing,” says Jean-Brice Dumont, head of engineering at Airbus Helicopters, “because it is simple and inexpensive. It is an illustration of perfect innovation, which is innovation based on reality.” A new commercial helicopter based on the Racer’s technology could be on the market by 2030.

Based on this last section there are a few reasons why helicopter air travel may be more commercially viable in the coming decades. Firstly due to improvements in electrical generators and engines the Racer is now possible. Secondly due to advancements in industrial manufacturing processes and new materials its more cost-effective than ever to produce a model like this. Finally although the Racer still be beyond purchase for many early adopters due to its price a future model could be made even cheaper and be on the market as early as 2030.

Techblogger Wrap Up

I've always been fascinated by new technologies and breakthroughs in modern science. Helicopter technology is very interesting and its use as a mainstream travel option has not yet materialized on a wide scale. Do you think the Racer is an appealing solution to air travel? Do you think this method of air travel will receive mass adoption assuming a helicopter like this one could be brought to the masses at a price point which was similar to a luxury car someday?

Please leave your thoughts, comments and feedback below.

Thanks for reading!

Source:

Airbus Reveals High-Speed Helicopter Project Racer - Robb Report

IMG Source:

Airbus Helicopters