The X3 was first showcased almost two years ago by helicopter makers Eurocopter yet it has already cracked a pair of speed records. The hybrid helicopter, piloted by Hervé Jammayrac, reached a flight speed of 255 knots (a whopping 472 km/h) over the south of France on the 7th of June, destroying the previously set record of 250 knots (463 km/h), set by a Sikorsky X2 demonstrator in 2010.
Mind you, the X3 had topped itself a few days earlier, having reached 263 knots (487 km/h) during a dive. Eurocopter flight test engineer Dominique Fournier, who was aboard the X3 during the record-breaking flight, described in a company press release – “These flights allows us to further explore the behavior of main rotors at high speeds, and enable us to make effectiveness assessments of the fairing we’ve added to the main rotor hub – which will be beneficial for drag optimization across Eurocopter’s overall product range.”
The X3 is powered by two adapted Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 turboshaft engines, tied to the five-bladed main rotor and twin propellers fitted on the wings. The engine wings differentiate it from the previous Eurocopter EC155, which has reportedly served as base. Since its maiden flight back in September 2010, it has flown for around 140 hours. It is expected though to retire before the end of 2013. It may fortunately be revived in the shape of Life Craft, according to Aviation Week.
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