Sikorsky X2 Flies

Sikorsky Aircraft today completed the first flight of its X2 technology demonstrator. Lifting the aircraft off from the Schweizer Aircraft subsidiary in Horseheads, N.Y., Sikorsky Chief Test Pilot Kevin Bredenbeck maneuvered the coaxial-main-rotor compound helicopter prototype through hover, forward flight, and a hover turn during the roughly 30-min flight. The X2 team has been working more than four years on design, development and testing of the demonstrator, which is designed to cruise at 250 while retaining helicopter attributes such as excellent low-speed handling, efficient hovering and safe autorotation. Another goal is a seamless and simple transition to high speed. “The team’s achievement … sparks the imagination for what ultimately the technology can mean to the future of the rotorcraft industry,” said Sikorsky President Jeff Pino. For related news