Sikorsky X2 Einstellungen

[Hummingbird]

Sikorsky feels the need for speed

16 June 2005

By Henry Wilson, DSD's contributing reporter (Defence Systems Daily)

Sikorsky has pledged top fly its planned X2 Technology demonstrator, a prototype helicopter capable of speeds of 250 knots before the end of next year. At a press briefing at Le Bourget, the company also identified areas where the technology used on the X2 could be applied including a high-speed endurance UAV, an attack helicopter or even a high-speed, heavy lift helicopter.

Initially announced at the American Helicopter Society International's annual technical forum in Grapevine Texas, the X2 is a coaxial design, that is with two counter-rotating rotors on the same vertical axis, combined with an integrated propulsion system that will push the aircraft to what would be revolutionary speeds for a helicopter. Current helicopters can do between 150 and 170 knots. Sikorsky revealed in a statement that preliminary design work for the demonstrator is finished and parts fabrication for the aircraft has begun.

Sikorsky says the project should be able to double the range of the helicopter without sacrificing vertical lift and the hovering performance of the vehicle, something that the company feels is sacrificed on platforms such as the V-22 where the aircraft has to undergo a transformation to perform two different roles. Jeff Pino, Sikorsky's Senior Vice-President marketing and commercial programmes, explained that the company has already done "spadework" with potential customers" adding that "they value speed only when it makes sense divided by value and simplicity and safety."

The helicopter market is getting increasingly competitive and Sikorsky, which is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation, has suffered a couple of blows of late with the US101 Team led by Lockheed Martin securing the VXX contract to supply the US Marine Corps with a variant of the AgustaWestland EH101 helicopter as the next Presidential rotor ride, as well as losing its biggest military contract the RAH-66 Comanche. However, the company will use the expertise it developed on that programme in composite rotors and advanced transmission design on the X2 as well as knowledge gained on the individual aspects of flight control laws in a fly by wire aircraft via flight-tests with the Cypher UAV.

Another vital aspect to this new project comes from Sikorsky's recent acquisition of Schweizer Aircraft whose advanced prototype building capability will be put to good use building the X2 and it is Schweizer's talents that prompted Sikorsky to commit to a first flight goal of next year. Moreover, the fly by wire system developed by Honeywell that will be used on the X2 will be flight-tested on a Schweizer 333 aircraft as part of the risk reduction process.

In terms of future customers for a production version of the X2 Pino said that on the civil side those companies operating oil rigs at sea would be very interested in an aircraft that would increase speed and range while still being able to land on an area used by current, slower helicopters. On the military side Pino was more guarded but he identified the US Marine Corps as the service most drawn to the idea of speed in a helicopter. With the USMC's ongoing commitment to the MV-22 Sikorsky's salesmen will have their work cut out but the company's enthusiasm and ambition for the project is clear and the derivatives it suggests cover a broad range of operations.

The UAV Sikorsky is suggesting as an outgrowth of the X2 would have be capable of staying in the air for more than five hours with a 250 knot cruise speed to station thereby offering excellent reconnaissance potential and a UCAV with a full suite of weapons is also possible. Then there could be a high speed attack aircraft that Sikorsky suggests could get up to 290 knots and two forms of cargo helicopters offering either 25 ton internal lift or 25 ton external lift capability that would be compatible with naval platforms.

Helicopters have been a hot topic at Paris this year not least with the US Air Force's Personnel Recovery Vehicle (PRV) programme shortly to head into very earnest competition and Sikorsky is determined to be ready for the future.


Quelle: http://defence-data.com/paris2005/pagep216.htm

[Hummingbird]

Ich werde immer gespannter was Sikorsky da in der Schublade hat.

Ich halte das ganze nach wie vor für ein Erfolg versprechendes Konzept.

Was mich allerdings etwas irritiert ist die Vorstellung einer Maschine mit 25t Nutzlast.
Meint Mr. Wilson vielleicht eine maximale Startmasse von 25t?

Zum Vergleich: Die Mi-26 bietet 20t Nutzlast.
Hat allerdings auch einen Hauptrotordurchmesser von 32m.

Koaxialrotoren müssen allerdings im Durchmesser etwas größer sein.
Ich schätze also mal auf ca. 40m. Eher mehr als weniger.

Bei einem so gigantischen Koaxialrotor wäre aber die Gefahr einer Blattkollision drastisch.

Was also plant Sikorsky?
Vielleicht einen Tandem-Koax a la Chinook?

Und was soll das mit einem high-speed Kran werden?
Mit Aussenlast können eh keine 250 Knoten geflogen werden.

[Hoinz]

Tandem-Koax

Das wär allerdings ziemlich komisch...  :p

Aber deine Bedenken sind durchaus angebracht


mfg Hoinz

[lastdingo]

Zum Vergleich: Die Mi-26 bietet 20t Nutzlast.
Hat allerdings auch einen Hauptrotordurchmesser von 32m.

Koaxialrotoren müssen allerdings im Durchmesser etwas größer sein.
Ich schätze also mal auf ca. 40m. Eher mehr als weniger.

Bei einem so gigantischen Koaxialrotor wäre aber die Gefahr einer Blattkollision drastisch.

???

Wieso sollten Koaxialrotoren mehr Durchmesser erfordern als normale Rotoren?

Wieso Blattkollision?

[Hummingbird]

Wieso sollten Koaxialrotoren mehr Durchmesser erfordern als normale Rotoren?

Ok, war unsauber formuliert von mir.
Ich sagte:

Koaxialrotoren müssen allerdings im Durchmesser etwas größer sein.

Damit meinte ich nicht das Koax-Rotoren generell größer sein müssen, sondern das bei 25t Nutzlast der Rotor größer sein muss als bei 20t.
Wenn mir auch bekannt ist das ein Koax etwa 15% mehr Leistung bringt als ein vergleichbarer herkömmlicher Rotor.

Wieso Blattkollision?

Na ja, stell dir mal vor was ein 20m langes Rotorblatt für Bewegungen ausführt.
Wenn die Maschine dann mit 250kts in eine turbulente Luftströmung hineinrauscht, sollte man schon sicher sein sollen, dass die Blätter nicht in die Hände klatschen.

Ich bin halt extrem neugierig wie Sikorsky diese Probleme bewältigen will.
Oder geht es etwa auch ein bisschen darum Entwicklungsgelder vom Marine Corps locker zu machen, wenn da von 25t Nutzlast geschwärmt wird?

[SeaTiger]

Gibt es eigentlich etwas neuartiges in der Richtung Kaman-Rotor? -> K-Max oder was Hummingbird im Avatar hat:

Flettner FL 282
Bild: http://www.helis.com/h/fl282-2.jpg (Bild automatisch entfernt)
Bild: http://www.squadron.com/old/fl282/fl282_3.jpg (Bild automatisch entfernt)

Kaman K-Max
Bild: http://avia.russian.ee/vertigo/foto/kaman_max.gif (Bild automatisch entfernt)

Ist doch auch ein interessantes Gebiet, ähnlich wie beim Koax-Rotor nur ohne Blattberühung, nur die schrägen Rotorköpfe erlauben nur kleiner Rotordurchmesser -> Bodenberührung, Gefahrenbereich für Bodenpersonal

Gruss SeaTiger

[Hummingbird]

Gibt es eigentlich etwas neuartiges in der Richtung Kaman-Rotor?

Meines Wissens nach nicht.

Für besonders hohe Geschwindigkeiten eignet sich das Flettner-System ja nicht so besonders.
Der K-1200 hat eine Vne von 100kts!

Eher für hohe Stabilität und Leistung.

Ich glaube das wir da so bald nichts neues sehen werden.

[Hummingbird]

In diesem PDF wird anschaulich verdeutlicht, worin einige Schwächen bei der Tiltrotor-Technologie liegen.

Gerade im zivilen Bereich wo es so extrem um wirtschaftlichkeit geht, habe ich Zweifel ob die Tilts sich durchsetzen werden.

[Praetorian]

Das .pdf lässt sich leider nicht ansehen oder herunterladen.

€dit:
Kein Wunder
Korrigierter Link: http://webpages.charter.net/nlappos/tiltro...rcomparison.pdf

[Ta152]

Wei währe es denn wohl mit einer C-130 mit 2 zusätzlichen Strahltriebwerken mit Schubvektorsteuereung nach unten (also z.B: RR  Pegasus und einem Fahrwerk we die Arado Ar 232. Welche Start und Landestrecken würde man damit wohl hinbekommen und wo könnte man wohl überall Landen. Sollte doch für die meinsten Einsätze reichen.

[Hummingbird]

Für so einen Koffer brauchst du aber viel Schub.

Womit das Problem mit der großen Flächenbelastung und der daraus resultierenden ungünstigen Ökonomie, dadurch auch nicht behoben wäre.

[Ta152]

Ich rede ja nicht vom Senkrechtstart sondern von einem Kurzstart. Die Pegassus üwrden erst beim Beschleunigen helfen, das Tragwerk anblasen (wie beim Starfighter) und Hubkrfat bieten. Im Marschflug währen sie aus. die Ökonomie währe natürlich schlechter als bei einer normalen C.130 aber eben eine extrem kurze Startstecke. Schon so hat es eine C-130 ja geschaft auf einen Träger zu landen und ohne zurückzusetzen und auf der restlichen Piste wieder zu starten, und das ohne Katapult oder Fanghaken (aber eohl mit einengen Knoten Geschwindigkeitesunterstützung vom Träger her).

Bei den meisten Operationen wird man doch wohl eine 200-300m Lange Piste auftreiben können wo man bei entsprechenden Fahrwerk landen könnte.

[Hummingbird]

Der „Feind“ kennt ja auch die potenziellen Landezonen für eine wie von dir beschriebene Maschine.
Und ob die überhaupt wieder starten könnte, bevor die provisorische Piste mit einer Planierwalze bearbeitet wurde…?

Die US-Militärs sind nach meiner Einschätzung mehr an einer VTOL-Fähigkeit interessiert.

Bell arbeitet ja bereits an einem Quad-Tiltrotor (QTR). Also so ne Art Herc mit 4 Tiltrotoren.  
Da werden soweit ich richtig informiert bin 21t Nutzlast bzw 90 Paxe angestrebt.

Bild: http://www.vtol.org/vertiflite/IMAGE004.JPG (Bild automatisch entfernt)
Bild: http://www.vtol.org/vertiflite/IMAGE006.JPG (Bild automatisch entfernt)

Schon so hat es eine C-130 ja geschaft auf einen Träger zu landen und ohne zurückzusetzen und auf der restlichen Piste wieder zu starten, und das ohne Katapult oder Fanghaken (aber eohl mit einengen Knoten Geschwindigkeitesunterstützung vom Träger her).

 Was war da denn los? Weist du mehr darüber, oder kannst du mir einen Link geben?

[Hummingbird]

Bild: http://www.helis.com/h/bquad.jpg (Bild automatisch entfernt)

[jever]

@Hummingbird: Da gabs erst vor wenigen Tagen nen Thread drüber, ich such mal.

MfG jever

Flugzeugbilderthread S 21/24.
Link zum Artikel:
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/histo...ory/q0097.shtml

[Hummingbird]

Das ist dann doch eher was für's Guiness Buch der Rekorde, als für den alltäglichen Gebrauch.

[Ta152]

Bei dieser komplett misslungenden Evakuierungsmission aus den Iran wollte man doch auch mit einer C-130 in einem Fussballstadion Landen und starten. Allerdings mit Raketenunterstützung. Ich weiss allerdings nicht wie hoch die Tribünen waren.

[Hummingbird]

...wollte man doch auch mit einer C-130 in einem Fussballstadion Landen und starten...

Im Stadion sollten RH-53 Sea Stallion's landen, und keine fixed wing's.

Nicht umsonst sind STOL's irgendwie ausser Mode gekommen.
VTOL ist die Gegenwart und die Zukunft.

Das Militär ist ja eindeutig an einer guten hover performance interessiert, damit überall wo genug Platz ist gelandet und gestartet werden kann.

Der Fiesler Storch hatte seinerzeit hervorragende Eigenschaften. Doch im VTOL-Zeitalter ist das nicht mehr zeitgemäß.

[Ta152]

...wollte man doch auch mit einer C-130 in einem Fussballstadion Landen und starten...

Im Stadion sollten RH-53 Sea Stallion's landen, und keine fixed wing's.

Nicht umsonst sind STOL's irgendwie ausser Mode gekommen.
VTOL ist die Gegenwart und die Zukunft.

Das Militär ist ja eindeutig an einer guten hover performance interessiert, damit überall wo genug Platz ist gelandet und gestartet werden kann.

Der Fiesler Storch hatte seinerzeit hervorragende Eigenschaften. Doch im VTOL-Zeitalter ist das nicht mehr zeitgemäß.

RH-53 im Stadion war bei Eagle Claw. Nachdem die Operation gescheitert ist hat man sich Operation Credible Sport einfallen lassen. Da sollte eine C-130 im (gleichen?) Stadion landen. Siehe auch die Bilder und das Video die ich im Bildthread gepostet habe.

[Praetorian]

Das ist dann doch eher was für's Guiness Buch der Rekorde, als für den alltäglichen Gebrauch.

Richtig, das war ein reiner Machbarkeitsversuch.
Die Herc ist damals fast in der Luft stehengeblieben und war kurz davor, senkrecht in die Hecksee des Trägers zu fallen, bevor sie aufsetzte.
Nicht umsonst wurde der Pilot dafür mit dem DFC ausgezeichnet - nicht unbedingt etwas, das eine gängige Operationsweise werden sollte.

[Hummingbird]

RH-53 im Stadion war bei Eagle Claw. Nachdem die Operation gescheitert ist hat man sich Operation Credible Sport einfallen lassen. Da sollte eine C-130 im (gleichen?) Stadion landen. Siehe auch die Bilder und das Video die ich im Bildthread gepostet habe.

Ok, alles klar.
Ich hatte deinen Post im Bilderthread noch nicht gesehen, bevor ich hier gepostet habe.

[Hummingbird]

Noch ein paar Zitate zum Osprey:

aircraft has been criticized for a lack of low-level maneuverability

‘We want to make it more maneuverable – the word is for it to be more ‘evasive,’’ said Col Glenn Walters, CO of  VMX-22.

VMX-22  =(Marine Tiltrotor Test and Evaluation Squadron 22)

[Praetorian]

Eine höhere Beweglichkeit in Bodennähe wäre wohl dringend zu wünschen - diese fliegende Hauswand ist ja nicht leicht zu verfehlen

[Hummingbird]

In diesem PDF aus dem Pentagon wird auf Vor- und Nachteile des V-22 Osprey eingegangen.
Ist zwar nicht top-aktuell (2001), aber an den Auszügen die ich nachfolgend poste, hat sich nichts geändert.      



Vortex Ring State/ Settling with power/ Wirbelringstadium:

All rotorcraft have the propensity for VRS-induced power settling, but
the tiltrotor has several characteristics that are inherently unique—some good,
some bad:

Good Characteristics:

•Relatively high disc loading theoretically means that the tiltrotor
needs a higher sink rate than a comparable size helicopter does to
enter VRS (V-22 tests will verify).

•If the altitude is high enough, the roll-off will cause the aircraft to
exit VRS (self-correcting), whereas some helicopters must be
manually flown out of VRS (again, V-22 tests will verify).

•Rapid rotation of the nacelles only a few degrees promises to be a
good way to avoid impending VRS relatively quickly (assuming
pilot warning is adequate).

Bad Characteristics:

•Relatively high disc loading makes it easier to develop a high rate
of descent in a tiltrotor craft as compared to an equivalent
helicopter (confirmed by pilots).

•The tendency for the tiltrotor to respond to asymmetric VRS with
an uncommanded roll will pose a higher risk of adverse outcome if
it happens at low altitude (wing-first impact for the tiltrotor vs.
hard landing for the helicopter).




Diverse allgemeine Gefahrenquellen:

•Departure from Conversion Attitude Control:
Failure of automatic flight control system during conversion could cause loss of control

•Failure Conversion Actuator:
Loss of conversion capability: must land at last nacelle angle setting; could cause loss of aircraft if no runway available and nacelles at low (high speed) angle

•Uncommanded Wing Stow Lock Pin Retraction:
Wing movement in flight could result in loss of control

•Longitudinal Trim Change with Nacelle Angle Change:
Negative (aft stick) trim during accelerating transition poses
risk of loss of flight path performance during low-light- level
or instrument conditions (helicopters need forward stick
during accelerating transition)

•Invalid Angle of Attack:
Bad signal to flight control system could cause improper flight control response and loss of control

•V-22 Autorotation Characteristics *:
Relatively high disc loading makes autorotation more problematic than for equivalent weight helicopter

•Power Settling (VRS) *: See above

* Autorotation and power settling per se are not unique tiltrotor risks, but depending on altitude, once in
autorotation or power settling situation, tiltrotor configuration lends itself to a potentially worse outcome
than for equivalent helicopter configuration.




POSITIVE SAFETY ASPECTS OF TILTROTOR:

1) The high airspeed (demonstrated 258 knots maximum cruise speed) significantly
reduces susceptibility to ground fire during the en route portion of the mission.

2) The rapid decelerating transition capability gives the aircraft lower vulnerability
to enemy ground fire in the landing zone.

3) The expanded range inherent in the tiltrotor concept gives the Marine
Expeditionary Unit or Special Operations Force more mission coverage, and by
its nature, that same capability gives the pilot more options for landing sites, both
nominal and emergency.

4) Pilot situational awareness in the landing environment is enhanced through the
use of nacelle conversion vice pitch attitude to decelerate.

[Hummingbird]

Bell/Agusta BA609

Bild: http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRTypen/Fotos/bell/BA609FF.JPG (Bild automatisch entfernt)

Certification on the BA609 is expected in 2007.

DIMENSIONS
• Length Overall 44 ft 13.31 m
• Overall Height 15 ft 4.50 m
• Rotor Diameter 60 ft 18.29 m

PROPULSION
• Powerplants (2) Pratt & Whitney
PT6C-67A Turboshaft

ENGINE RATINGS
• AEO Take Off Power 2 x 1,938 hp TBD
• OEI (limit @ ISA + 20c) 2,130 hp TBD

WEIGHTS*
• Maximum Takeoff Weight 16,800 lbs 7,631 kg
• Maximum Useful Load 5,500 lbs 2,500 kg

CAPACITIES
• Required Crew 1-2
• Passenger Seating 6-9
• Baggage Compartment 50 cu ft 1.41 cu m

Maximum Cruise Speed 275 kt 509 km/hr
HOGE(ISA, MGW, AEO) 5,000 ft MSL 1,150 m
Service Ceiling (MCP) (All Engines Operating) 25,000 ft 11,364 m
O.E.I. (ISA, MGW) 12,800 ft MSL 3,866 m
Maximum Range * (no reserve) 1,000 nm 1,852 km
* With auxiliary fuel at MTOW-ISA Pending Certification

BA609 achieves nearly 220mph in testing full airplane mode for the first time

Fort Worth, TX Jul 22, 2005

The Bell/Agusta 609 tiltrotor streaked over the skies of Central Texas this morning with its outboard nacelles rotating forward to full airplane mode for the first time.   Roy Hopkins, 609 project pilot and Bell pilot Jim Lindsey were at the controls when the BA609 reached full airplane mode at 9:23 am CDT.  Both are highly experienced tiltrotor pilots with flight time logged in both the V-22 Osprey as well as the XV-15.  When making its first transition to airplane mode this morning the BA609 today flew at 190 knots (219 mph).  
“Jim and I thought the aircraft flew as expected and the vibration level was very low. This was the culmination of months of dedicated effort from engineering and manufacturing personnel and everyone should certainly be proud!”  Mr. Hopkins stated.  
With its nacelles in the vertical position, the tiltrotor takes-off, lands and hovers like a traditional helicopter.  When the nacelles are tilted forward to the horizontal position, the aircraft flies with the high speed and range of a turboprop fixed-wing airplane.
The aircraft returned to flight status June 3, 2005, at Bell’s XworX research and development facility here following an 18-month programmed pause in flight-testing for developmental engineering configuration.  
“This is truly a momentous point in aviation history because we have finally achieved the full range of flight on the BA609, the world’s first civil tiltrotor,” declared Bell/Agusta Programs Executive Director Jack Gallagher, adding, “this changes everything in vertical lift and general aviation.”
BA609 Aircraft  #02 is at Agusta’s assembly and flight-testing facility in Italy, where tests are progressing in support of Aircraft #01. Aircraft #02 is scheduled to make its first flight during the 4th Quarter of this year.    
The BA609, a six to nine passenger aircraft, has market applications for corporate business, offshore operators and government customers for a variety of roles including search and rescue, and internal security team insertion.

http://www.bellagusta.com/

[Hummingbird]

Tiltrotor Flying

The BA609’s primary controls–cyclic stick, (collective) power lever and yaw pedals–are the same as those in any helicopter, although engineers and pilots don’t use the word “collective.” Flap and landing gear handles are mounted on the front cockpit panel between the crew stations and the engine controls are on the overhead panel.

The nacelle controller at the front of the power lever is a four-position thumb switch, spring-loaded to a neutral position. When converting to helicopter mode the pilot can bring the nacelles back, at three degrees per second, to the upper detent range of 75 degrees to 95 degrees (five degrees aft of vertical). Within that range he can manually adjust the nacelles rearward until entering the hover at 90 degrees. For airplane mode, detents at 75, 60 and 0 degrees (fully forward) allow the pilot to command the nacelles forward at three degrees per second with a series of pushes.

The pilot can stop anywhere between any of the detents by touching the switch in the opposite direction. A fast-rate reconversion mode, activated by overriding a rear force detent, brings the nacelles back from any position to 95 degrees, at eight degrees per second. This accommodates emergencies such as a double engine failure and allows quick deceleration. During conversion to airplane mode, downstop loading prevents the nacelles’ applying excessive forces to the structure.

[Hummingbird]

Sikorsky X2

Sikorsky Has Formula for Fast Helicopter on Fast Track

In an effort to marry the best assets of a helicopter (such as the ability to hover) with those of an airplane (like the capacity for speed), Sikorsky is cobbling together a hybrid that it says solves the main issue faced by aircraft like the JSF and the V-22 Tiltrotor — having to change mechanical configuration to go from hover to forward flight.

“Customers have decided they needed both hover and speed,” says Jeff Pino, Sikorsky Aircraft’s senior vp. Using components and technologies largely gathered from other programs and Sikorsky’s newly acquired Schweizer Aircraft Co., Sikorsky has come up with a design it says will both hover and fly at 250 kts at 10,000 ft in standard conditions with no configuration changes. The design uses coaxial, counter-rotating main disks and six-bladed pusher prop on the back end.

The idea, which Sikorsky is calling the X2 Technology, is more than just a notion. Pino says Sikorsky will fly an X2 vehicle demonstrator before the end of 2006 using one engine — a T800-801 by LHTEC — powering both the four-bladed main rotors and the tail prop. To make the schedule and save costs, Sikorsky is using off-the-shelf technologies wherever possible, including digital flight control techniques developed for the now-defunct Comanche attack helicopter, active vibration control systems from the S-92, and a main rotor hub that used to be a tail rotor hub from a CH-53. Pino says the Comanche technologies, along with proprietary work done by Sikorsky, provide about a 50% decrease in flat-plate geometry drag of the main rotor, a breakthrough that in part will allow such a high cruise speed for a helicopter[b]. Pino says Eagle Aviation Technologies will supply the advanced composite, high-speed rigid main rotor blades,  Aero Composites Inc. will build the [b]six-bladed back prop, Honeywell will provide the fly-by-wire system, and Moog will build the vibration suppression system.

Schweizer, which Pino says Sikorsky is calling its “Hawkworks,” will do the rapid prototyping, an ability Pino says was part of the reason Sikorsky bought Schweizer. As a risk reduction move, Pino says Sikorsky by year-end will test the X2’s single-stick fly-by-wire system in a Schweizer 333. While Pino says the X2 is not meant to be a production aircraft, the technologies will be scaleable to cover both manned and unmanned applications, possibly as large as a shipboard heavy lift vehicle. —John Croft

[Hummingbird]

Dies ist der Heckrotorkopf einer CH-53G
Voll artikuliert und veraltet.

Naja, geht ja nur um den Demonstrator und soll dafür möglichst billig sein.

Bild: http://www.b-domke.de/AviationImages/Rotorhead/Images/0426.jpg (Bild automatisch entfernt)

[Hummingbird]

BREAKING NEWS!    

Die U.S.A. haben für das „Joint Heavy Lift“ Programm fünf Projektstudien in Auftrag gegeben.

Zwei dieser Projektstudien für einen schnellen Schwerlasttransporter (FCS/Stryker/LAV soll transportiert werden können) gehen an Sikorsky mit ihrem X2 Konzept.

US Army awards five agreements for Concept Design & Analysis of Joint Heavy Lift (JHL) rotorcraft

The US Army, in cooperation with its Joint Service and NASA partners, announces the award of five agreements/contracts for the Concept Design and Analysis (CDA) of a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) Joint Heavy Lift, (JHL) rotorcraft.

The purpose of the CDA activity is to define the “art of the possible”, the “science of the probable” and the “design of the affordable” for a JHL VTOL rotorcraft that enables future joint concepts of operations (CONOPS).  

These include such things as conducting mounted and dismounted vertical envelopment; executing operational maneuver and sustainment operations at extended ranges simultaneously into unprepared, complex terrain locations under extreme environmental conditions, 24/7; and overcoming enemy anti-access strategies from land and sea bases as part of joint expeditionary operations.

The CDA is part of the overall multi-year (FY05-07) JHL Concept Refinement effort.  It is primarily focused on supporting the joint requirements definition process.  
The CDA is the technical pillar of activity designed to inform the joint requirements analysis with credible rotorcraft design concepts and performance projections that can reasonably be matured to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 by 2012.

The five CDA awards, made under the Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) W911W6-05-R-0004, are for the conceptual/preliminary design of a baseline aircraft, and specific design excursions, to identify the impact of variations in payload, range, environmental conditions, and shipboard compatibility on aircraft size, performance, operational suitability, cost, schedule, and development risk.  

The baseline design specification is to maneuver an FCS/Stryker/LAV Vehicle over a 250 nautical mile (nm) radius, under 4000 foot density altitude and 95° Fahrenheit (4k95) conditions, from/to land or sea bases and operating areas.  Eight specific excursions to these conditions will also be investigated that include lighter and heavier cargo (16 – 26 tons), shorter and longer mission radii (210 – 500 nm), more extreme environmental conditions (6k95), and full compatibility with a future ship. These design variations populate the desired trade space in the joint requirements process.

These awards are for eighteen months and represent over $30M of Government and Industry contribution.  They include the delivery of the designs with substantiating data, a specification document, a technology development strategy, and cost/schedule estimates for a Component and Technology Demonstration phase to achieve TRL 6 in an appropriately large-scale flight vehicle.  Award of any future JHL development activity, should it occur, is separate and independent of this BAA .



The five concept vehicles chosen for this effort, listed in order of their design cruise speeds, are:

* Sikorsky X2C, X2 Technology Crane – coaxial rotor (165 knots)

* Boeing ATRH, Advanced Tandem Rotor Helicopter
(165 knots)

* Sikorsky X2HSL, X2 Technology High Speed Lifter – advancing blade compound (245 knots)

* Bell Boeing QTR, Quad Tilt Rotor
(275 knots)

* Frontier Aircraft OSTR, Optimum Speed Tilt Rotor
(310 knots).

LINK: globalsecurity zum JTR

.

[Hummingbird]

Hier eine Pressemitteilung von Boeing über ihren Beitrag zum JHL Programm, an dem Boeing sich mit zwei Studien zu ihrem ATRH (Boeing Advanced Tandem Rotor Helicopter) beteiligt.

Boeing receives two study contracts from U.S. Army for Joint Heavy Lift program

Artist impression of Quad Tilt Rotor © Copyright BoeingPHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22, 2005 – The U.S. Army has awarded Boeing (NYSE: BA) two contracts to perform conceptual design and analysis of vertical-takeoff-and-landing concepts for the Joint Heavy Lift (JHL) program.

One contract, worth $3.4 million, goes to Boeing Phantom Works for its Advanced Tandem Rotor Helicopter (ATRH). Boeing proposed the ATRH in the Army’s low-speed category, which is for vehicles that fly between 160 and 200 knots.

The other contract, worth $3.45 million, goes to the team of Bell Helicopter, a Textron company (NYSE: TXT), and Boeing Phantom Works for the QuadTiltrotor (QTR) aircraft, which was entered in the high-speed category of 250 knots or more.

“These awards are important first steps toward defining a next-generation military weapon system – and a great opportunity to demonstrate how cutting edge technologies can be applied to meet joint service needs,” said Ron Prosser, Boeing Phantom Works vice president and general manager of Integrated Defense Advanced Systems. “Boeing has been developing multiple configurations to help our customer better evaluate its requirements for Joint Heavy Lift.”

The Boeing Advanced Tandem Rotor Helicopter exploits the system maturity, the extraordinary VTOL cargo-handling versatility and the unsurpassed maritime suitability of the tandem rotor platform, which uses two equally-sized rotors that spin in opposite directions for lift.

The ATRH will maximize the benefits of advanced technologies and lean approaches, and will capitalize on emerging technologies that improve weapons system effectiveness and operational costs.

Bell Boeing’s QuadTiltrotor is an evolutionary application of the tiltrotor technology utilized in the V-22 Osprey. The QTR is a tandem-wing, four-proprotor aircraft with a large cargo fuselage and a rear-loading ramp.

Four turboshaft engines, each mounted in one of four tilting wingtip nacelles, power the proprotors through interconnected transmissions for redundancy. The QTR design will be sized, refined and analyzed over the next 18 months to determine program requirements and feasibility of further development.

The purpose of these contracts, according to the Army, is to define the “art of the possible,” the “science of the probable” and the “design of the affordable” for a JHL VTOL rotorcraft that enables future joint concepts of operations.

Contractors will provide preliminary conceptual/preliminary designs for baseline aircraft, and will identify the impact of variations in payload, range, environmental conditions and shipboard compatibility on aircraft size, performance, operational suitability, cost, schedule and development risk. Each award is for 18 months.

The Boeing Phantom Works participation is through its Advanced Rotorcraft Systems team. Phantom Works is the advanced research and development unit and catalyst of innovation for Boeing. It provides advanced system solutions and innovative, breakthrough technologies that reduce cycle time and cost while improving the quality and performance of aerospace products and services.

Through its Integrated Defense Advanced Systems group, Phantom Works provides these system and technology solutions to Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses.