Arc announces hybrid slowed-rotor aircraft with 800-mile range

Britain’s Arc Aero Systems, formerly Samad Aerospace, has put forth its vision for a “cost-effective, low-carbon solution to intercity travel.” The hybrid Linx P9 promises to beat comparably sized helicopters on range, speed and operating cost.Continue… Continue reading Arc announces hybrid slowed-rotor aircraft with 800-mile range

Vita Rescue System keeps medevac litters from spinning and swaying

We’ve all seen footage of disaster victims being winched up into helicopters, in litter-type stretchers. It’s not a good thing if those litters start spinning or swaying, though, which is what the thrust-vectoring Vita Rescue System is designed to stop… Continue reading Vita Rescue System keeps medevac litters from spinning and swaying

Black Hawk helicopter flies autonomous “rescue” mission without crew

The line between crewed and uncrewed aircraft has blurred even more after a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter carried out a demonstration cargo mission as well as a medical “emergency rescue” entirely on its own without anyone aboard or human guidance.Con… Continue reading Black Hawk helicopter flies autonomous “rescue” mission without crew

Airbus flies first helicopter with both engines burning 100% green fuel

Airbus has achieved a green aviation first as an H225 made the first-ever helicopter flight with both of its Safran Makila 2 engines running on 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which is usually derived from biomass, including waste fat, oil… Continue reading Airbus flies first helicopter with both engines burning 100% green fuel

Ingenuity Mars helicopter visits Perseverance landing gear crash site

On April 19, 2022, the one-year anniversary of its first flight, NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter visited and took images of the crash site of the protective aeroshell and parachute that helped deliver it and the Perseverance rover to the Red Planet.Co… Continue reading Ingenuity Mars helicopter visits Perseverance landing gear crash site

Piasecki outlines its path to the world’s first manned hydrogen helicopter flight

Piasecki Aircraft has announced it’s putting a HyPoint turbo air-cooled fuel cell and an electric powertrain into an ultralight helicopter from EDM Aerotec, hoping to achieve the world’s first manned hydrogen-powered helicopter flight – with its own co… Continue reading Piasecki outlines its path to the world’s first manned hydrogen helicopter flight

Lockheed Martin’s Defiant helicopter completes first endurance flight

The Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant helicopter has completed its first long-endurance flight, with the revolutionary rotorcraft this week flying 700 nautical miles (810 miles or 1,300 km) from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Nashville, Tennes… Continue reading Lockheed Martin’s Defiant helicopter completes first endurance flight

Lockheed Martin’s Defiant helicopter completes first endurance flight

The Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant helicopter has completed its first long-endurance flight, with the revolutionary rotorcraft this week flying 700 nautical miles (810 miles or 1,300 km) from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Nashville, Tennes… Continue reading Lockheed Martin’s Defiant helicopter completes first endurance flight

Autonomous Black Hawk helicopter makes first flight with no crew onboard

DARPA’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program has taken another step forward, with a US Army UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter taking to the air over Fort Campbell, Kentucky on February 5 for a 30-minute autonomous flight with no one ab… Continue reading Autonomous Black Hawk helicopter makes first flight with no crew onboard

Defiant X attack helicopter completes first mission profile test flights

With the decision on the replacement of the US Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk fleet coming down to the wire, the partners behind the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant have announced that their candidate advanced rotorcraft has completed its first m… Continue reading Defiant X attack helicopter completes first mission profile test flights