Helis, June 16, 2020 - The Sikorsky/Boeing SB>1 Defiant demonstrator passed for the first time the 200 knots ~ 380 km/h barrier.
The helicopter is under development for the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi-Role (JMR) / Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program and competing against the Bell V-280 Valor to be the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) which aims to replace the Black Hawk in the 2030s.
“We're seeing exactly the performance our analytical tools have predicted. This gives us even greater confidence as we continue to expand the speed envelope and maneuvers. Exceeding 200 knots is significant also because it's beyond any conventional helicopter speed, and we understand that speed and low-level maneuverability is critical for survivability”, said Jay Macklin director of future vertical lift business development at Sikorsky.
The flight test took place June 9 at the Sikorsky’s Development Flight Test Center in West Palm Beach, Florida and Bill Fell, Sikorsky’ test pilot said that the Defiant reached the speed of 205 knots while using less than 50 percent of the installed propeller power and that expects to fly faster than 250 knots in a matter of months.
The helicopter is under development for the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi-Role (JMR) / Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program and competing against the Bell V-280 Valor to be the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) which aims to replace the Black Hawk in the 2030s.
“We're seeing exactly the performance our analytical tools have predicted. This gives us even greater confidence as we continue to expand the speed envelope and maneuvers. Exceeding 200 knots is significant also because it's beyond any conventional helicopter speed, and we understand that speed and low-level maneuverability is critical for survivability”, said Jay Macklin director of future vertical lift business development at Sikorsky.
The flight test took place June 9 at the Sikorsky’s Development Flight Test Center in West Palm Beach, Florida and Bill Fell, Sikorsky’ test pilot said that the Defiant reached the speed of 205 knots while using less than 50 percent of the installed propeller power and that expects to fly faster than 250 knots in a matter of months.
SB>1 Defiant N100FV ( Sikorsky Helicopters )
See also |
FLRAA >
Sikorsky SB>1 Defiant
SB>1 Defiant Reached 100 Knots
