Sikorsky X2 World's Fastest Helicopter Commercial

The Sikorsky X2 is an experimental compound helicopter with coaxial rotors developed by the American aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft. 

It is considered to be the fastest helicopter ever produced.

Sikorsky has incorporated decades of company research and development into the X2 helicopter on a $50 million budget. The S-69/XH-59A Advancing Blade Concept Demonstrator showed high speed was possible with a coaxial helicopter and auxiliary propulsion but it vibrated too much

The Cypher UAV expanded company knowledge of the unique aspects of flight control laws in a fly by wire aircraft with coaxial rotors; and the RAH-66 Comanche, which developed expertise in composite rotors and advanced transmission design.

Other features include slowed rigid rotors 2 feet apart, active force counter-vibration inspired by the Black Hawk, and using most of the power for the pusher propeller rather than the rotor.

The fly-by-wire system is provided by Honeywell, the rotor by Eagle Aviation Technologies, anti-vibration by Moog Inc, and propeller by Aero Composites.

On 4 May 2009, Sikorsky unveiled a mock-up of a Light Tactical Helicopter derivative of the X2.

The X2 first flew on 27 August 2008 from Schweizer Aircraft's (a division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation) facility at Horseheads, New York. The flight lasted 30 minutes.

This began a 4-phase flight test program, to culminate with reaching a planned 250-knot top speed.The X2 completed flights with its propeller fully engaged in July 2009.Sikorsky completed phase 3 of the testing with the X2 hitting 181 knots in test flight in late May 2010.

On 26 July 2010, Sikorsky announced that the X2 exceeded 225 knots (259 mph; 417 km/h) during flight testing in West Palm Beach Florida, unofficially surpassing the current FAI rotorcraft world speed record of 216 knots (249 mph) set by a modified Westland Lynx in 1986.The X2 flight was purposefully made 37 years to the date of the S-69's first flight.

On 15 September 2010, test pilot Kevin Bredenbeck achieved Sikorsky's design goal for the X2 when he flew it at a speed of 250 knots (290 mph; 460 km/h) in level flight, an unofficial speed record for a helicopter.

The demonstrator also reached a speed of 260 knots (300 mph; 480 km/h) in a shallow 2˚ to 3˚ dive,slightly less than the 303 mph of the XH-59A.

On 14 July 2011, the X2 completed its final flight and was officially retired after accumulating 22 hours over 23 test flights.

With the end of development, the X2 will be followed by its first application, the S-97 Raider high-speed scout and attack helicopter

1. On 15 September 2010, test pilot Kevin Bredenbeck achieved Sikorsky's design goal for the X2 when he flew it at a speed of 250 knots (290 mph; 460 km/h) in level flight, an unofficial speed record for a helicopter until surpassed by the Eurocopter X3 in 2013.

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: not available ()
• Rotor diameter: 26.4 ft (8.05 m)
• Height: not available ()
• Disc area: 548 ft²  (50.9 m²)
• Empty weight: lb (kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 5,300 - 6,000 lb (or 3,600 kg )
• Powerplant: 1 × LHTEC T800-LHT-801 turboshaft, 1300–1800 shp (1000–1340 kW)
• Propellers: 1 six-bladed pusher-type propeller
• Rotor configuration: 2 four-bladed co-axial

Performance

• Maximum speed: 250 knots (287.5 mph, 460 km/h)
• Range: 702 nmi (808 mi, 1300 km)
• Service ceiling: ft (m)
• Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
• Disc loading: 11 lb/ft² ()
• Power/mass: 3.66 hp/lb

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