Farnborough – In an impressive feat of engineering and innovation, Airbus’s Racer high-speed helicopter demonstrator has smashed through its fast cruise speed target, reaching an astonishing 420 km/h (227 kts). Developed under the European Research Clean Sky 2 project, the Racer achieved this milestone on June 21, less than two months after its maiden flight.
The Racer’s journey to this achievement has been remarkably swift. In just seven flights, totaling around nine hours of flight testing, the helicopter has exceeded its level speed objective of 407 km/h (220 kts) and nearly completed its entire flight envelope.
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, praised the collaboration of their partners, stating, “This achievement in such a short space of time is a testament to the hard work of our 40 partners in 13 European countries. Beyond its performance, the aircraft’s aerodynamic behavior and stability are very promising. We eagerly anticipate the next phase of flight testing, particularly the eco-mode which will allow us to shut down one engine in forward flight, thereby reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.”
The accomplished flight test team included Hervé Jammayrac, Chief Flight Test Pilot, Dominique Fournier, Flight Test Engineer, and Christophe Skorlic, Test Flight Engineer. Their next focus will be on single-engine operations and finalizing the flight envelope.
Designed for an optimal cruise speed exceeding 400 km/h, the Racer aims to balance speed, cost-efficiency, and mission performance. It targets a 20% reduction in fuel consumption compared to current helicopters in the same weight category, thanks to aerodynamic advancements and an innovative hybrid-electric eco-mode propulsion system developed with Safran Helicopter Engines. This system allows one of the two Aneto-1X engines to be paused during cruise, significantly cutting CO2 emissions. Additionally, the Racer’s unique architecture is expected to lower its operational noise footprint.
As the Racer heads into its next phase of testing, the aerospace community eagerly awaits further developments and breakthroughs from this cutting-edge project.
