"Sikorsky Unveils S-97 Raider: Road To FVL?" Topic

"The company that built the first workable helicopter (http://connecticuthistory.org/worlds-first-helicopter-today-in-history/) rolled out a (potential) revolution in chopper technology yesterday: Sikorsky's high-speed S-97 Raider. A year ago, Sikorsky made a splash at the huge Association of the US Army (http://breakingdefense.com/tag/association-of-the-us-army/) conference with just a life-size mock-up (http://breakingdefense.com/2012/10/sikorsky-offers-s-97-for-armed-aerial-scout-without-flying/). Now, just in time to talk it up at AUSA 2014, they've built a working prototype, which is supposed to start actually flying later this year (http://www.janes.com/article/44031/sikorsky-s-97-raider-to-fly-this-year)…"
Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

Well, that was a bizarrely uninformed article. Pusher-prop helos have been around for at long time, not the least the YAH-46 Cheyenne. The Cheyenne didn't make it into production, but the pusher-prop system worked just fine (it was supplemented with stub wings to allow the main rotor to be unloaded in high-speed flight). Counter-rotating props have also been around for a long time and the Soviets/Russians have used them extensively.

So it's neither revolutionary nor untried technology. It is, however, probably a very good idea.

Egad, whoever wrote that article is clueless. The Russians have been flying co-axial rotors since the 1960s.

I fully expect Sikorsky to win the FVL contract because it's mechanically simpler and much more damage-resistant than any tilt-rotor.

Sikorsky Unveils S-97 Raider Light-Attack Helo

"Helicopter-maker Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. unveiled its next-generation light-attack helicopter, the S-97 Raider, during a ceremony Thursday in Florida.

The coaxial design features counter-rotating rotor blades and a push propeller, among other innovations, that will allow it to fly much faster and farther than today's choppers.
"Raider is an all-new helicopter, all-new configuration," Mark Miller, vice president of research and engineering, said at the event. "We haven't seen something this new in 30 years."…"

Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

"We haven't seen something this new in 30 years."

Yeah, not since the AH56 Cheyenne!

But the S97 is one serious hot-rod. I hope that a civilian version becomes available, that might be a serious competitor to light turbine aircraft! (Read: I'd buy one if I won the lottery)

It certainly wins on the rule of cool.

When can I get one in 6 and 15mm? :-)

Good question.

Amicalement
Armand

@Boywonder: I'm willing to bet that we will see a 1/144 scale model of it from Dragon models within 9 months.

After all, it took maybe 6 months for them to make the MH60X stealthhawk model from the Bin Laden raid.