Tilt rotor comes in the civil aviation

Half plane, half helicopter. With the start of serial production of the AW609 can soon fly vehicles, passengers in the air with tilt rotor.

Tilt rotor aircraft Change: The official name is quite bumpy and not very attractive. However, air vehicles, listen to this name, are technically refined. They combine the advantages of helicopter and airplane. The rotor blades are made up, it can launch vertically, or land. They are tilted forward, it flies as fast and far as a flyer.

New is the idea of the tilt rotor convertible aircraft is not. Easy to implement but also not. The concept was after a long development time and severe setbacks in military air travel. This is changing now. The Italian aviation group, Leonardo sends after a long trial, his AW 609 in series production.

Higher, faster, further

As early as last week (15. April) launched the production, revealed to the producer of the news channel CNN. Towards the end of this year should also follow the approval by the us aviation authority FAA. The time schedule is adhered to, wants Leonardo passed the first of the AW-609 in the next year to the first customer.

The helicopter services provider Era Group from the state of Texas in the United States is the only operator of the AW 609. Other customers of the new tilt rotor convertible aircraft, the United Arab Emirates, which want to use it in the Search and rescue role, as well as a Japanese air carrier is planning the same.

Business Travelers, Organ Transport, Rescue Missions

Nine passengers and two crew members can fly with the AW 609 according to Leonardo a little more 1400 miles. The travel speed should be 510 kilometers per hour. Since the cabin is under pressure, is also a flight altitude of about 7600 meters.

Especially for business travelers with little time, the urgent Transport of organs, or Search and rescue missions should the aircraft have to offer. But the speed costs. With a price of around $ 25 million to the AW 609 is about twice as expensive as most of the VIP helicopter.

A long time in the development

The AW 609 is already developed since the end of the nineties. Actually, the flight device should, from the forge of Boeing helicopter producer Bell. Both developed already since the eighties, with the V-22 Ospreys, a military Transporter with the same principle. However, the test operation proved cumbersome and has been marred by several fatal crashes.

Boeing said the civilian counterpart of the Osprey quickly farewell. However, Bell was able to win with Leonardo, at that time, Augusta-Westland, a new Partner for the AW 609. In 2003, the first prototype of the young took flight. Since then, the program proceeded, however, with difficulty. Bell was plagued by problems and more fatal crashes at the sister project Osprey. Since both aircraft are closely rooted to each other, had to be the AW 609 again and again revised.

Difficult Admission

Also, the certification proves to be has been difficult. So Leonardo with the AW 609 must be bundled to the authorities at the same time, helicopter and Turboprob aircraft, in a vehicle as airworthy. This is more complicated than just a kind of means of transportation certified.

In the above image gallery to see images of the Leonardo AW 609.

Posted by John at .