SpArK
ELITE MEMBER
![](/styles/default/xenforo/ranks/airchiefmarshal.jpg)
- Joined
- May 5, 2010
- Messages
- 22,519
- Reaction score
- 18
- Country
- Location
Eurocopter unveils new-look helicopter
![capt.3639e5ffa258409e94ac73df307857ed-3639e5ffa258409e94ac73df307857ed-0.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fd.yimg.com%2Fa%2Fp%2Fap%2F20100927%2Fcapt.3639e5ffa258409e94ac73df307857ed-3639e5ffa258409e94ac73df307857ed-0.jpg%3Fx%3D400%26y%3D266%26q%3D85%26sig%3D0IyXktUeZf8_K4oESeTZ3w--&hash=30dc53487c263ceb33866e8298b08aaa)
MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) European group Eurocopter showed off a revolutionary winged helicopter on Monday, in a bid to counter U.S. rival Sikorsky's efforts to break the speed barrier by rewriting rotorcraft design rules.
The X3 hybrid helicraft -- which combines forward-facing propellers astride two short aircraft wings with the familiar overhead rotor blades seen on any normal helicopter -- was unveiled following months of secrecy.
The half-plane, half-helicopter design aims to overcome chronic obstacles to high-speed helicopter flight by combining the advantages of fixed-wing aircraft with those of a standard helicopter -- allowing it to fly at 220 knots or 400 km/hour.
The move by the world's largest civil helicopter maker came less than two weeks after United Technologies unit Sikorsky claimed an unofficial speed record of 250 knots (460 km/hour) with its own avant-garde prototype called X2.
Eurocopter unveils new-look helicopter - Yahoo! News