http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/71633
歐直公司將於2012年決定是否推出其混合動力系統
2011-10-27

[據英國《飛行國際》2011年10月19日報導] 歐直公司正在推動混合動力系統的試驗進程，他們相信該系統能夠提高單發直升機在發動機失效時的安全性。
      除常規的渦軸發動機外，該系統還使用一個電池驅動的電動機，在主動力失效時，該系統能夠自動切入。
      該系統最初提供足夠的功率保證旋翼轉速平穩，並在下滑時提供足夠的推力以確保安全著陸。
歐直公司副總工程師Jean-Michel Billig稱，該混合動力系統能夠消除飛行員在自轉下滑過程中主要的壓力來源。在試飛過程中，試飛員甚至感覺不到切換到電池驅動時有任何不同。
      歐直公司將在AS350上進行進一步的試驗，以確保能夠達到性能標準，並將在明年正式決定是否向客戶提供該系統。
      該系統的一個關鍵性參數是其尺寸和重量，其使用的電動機和鋰離子電池安裝在了直升機的中心區域。
      Billig稱，如果該系統使直升機有效載荷降低過多而必須少搭載1-2個乘客的話，我們將不會把該系統投入市場。
      Billig稱，該系統不針對任何直升機平臺，可適用于所有的單發直升機型號。
      儘管該專案的主要目的是提高直升機安全性，但試驗資料也表明，該混合動力系統也能夠帶來環保性方面的好處。Billig稱他們將在明年或後年啟動另一個項目，在這方面進行針對性研究。
歐直公司還與其他合作者聯合進行柴油驅動直升機的研究，該機首飛時間預定在2013年底。他們認為使用柴油驅動在降低燃油消耗率方面將有極大的潛力可挖掘。（中國航空工業發展研究中心  李昊）

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/eurocopter-targets-2012-for-hybrid-launch-decision-363574/
Eurocopter targets 2012 for hybrid launch decision  Print
 By: Dominic Perry London 02:00 19 Oct 2011  Source:  

Eurocopter is pressing ahead with tests of a hybrid powertrain it believes will increase safety on single-engined helicopters in the event of engine failure.

As well as the regular turboshaft engine, the system also uses a battery-powered electric motor which automatically cuts in if the main powerplant fails.

This initially provides power to ensure there is no drop in rotor speed and then provides sufficient thrust immediately prior to landing to safely flare the aircraft.

Jean-Michel Billig, executive vice-president engineering at Eurocopter, said the hybrid system removes a major source of stress for pilots during an auto-rotation landing.

"The reaction of our test pilots was one of absolute amazement. They could not tell the difference when it switched to battery power," he said.

"It removes a lot of stress and panic - you know you'll make it."

The airframer will carry out further tests on an AS350 Ecureuil to ensure performance criteria are met, before making a decision early next year whether to formally offer the drivetrain to its customers.

One key factor is the size and weight of the system, as the electric motor and lithium ion polymer battery are installed in the centre area of the helicopter.

Billig said: "If we have to reduce the payload by one or two passengers [to fit it] then we will not bring it to market."

Billig said the system is "platform agnostic" and would be suitable for any of its single-engined helicopters.

Although the primary driver for the project was to increase safety, Billig said the tests have yielded data suggesting the hybrid powertrain may have future environmental benefits.

"We are currently capturing these ideas and will make it another project for next year or the year after," he said.

Eurocopter is also working with external partners to produce a diesel-powered helicopter, with first flight pegged for late 2013. It believes diesel has huge potential to lower an aircraft's fuel consumption.

http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/71572
歐直公司將開始X3第三階段飛行試驗
2011-10-25

[據英國《飛行國際》網站2011年10月20日報導]歐直公司將在未來幾周內開始X3技術驗證機第三階段飛行試驗，主要試驗目標是達到240kt（444km/h）的飛行速度。

在先前的試驗中，歐直公司確定了X3的完整飛行包線，並達到了232kt的飛行速度，但X3只使用了75%-80%的可用功率。

在第三階段試驗中，歐直計畫將旋翼功率提到100%，該階段試驗將持續3-4個月。

歐直公司沒有透露X3速度性能方面的新目標，但表示其在第一、二階段試驗中的表現遠遠超過了預期。

同時，歐直公司還在制定未來基於X3技術的生產型機的尺寸要求及任務譜系。預期的任務包括搜索救援和近海保障，以及武裝攻擊和VIP運輸。（中國航空工業發展研究中心  李昊）

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/eurocopter-to-launch-third-x3-flight-test-phase-363700/
Eurocopter to launch third X3 flight test phase  Print
 By: Craig Hoyle Farnborough 04:50 20 Oct 2011  Source:  

Eurocopter will launch a third phase of flight tests with its X3 technology demonstrator within the next few weeks, with the goal of exceeding an original speed target of 240kt (444km/h).

Previous tests have cleared the high-speed aircraft's full flight envelope, and demonstrated a maximum of 232kt. However, this has been achieved by using just 75-80% of its available power, said Jean-Michel Billig, Eurocopter's executive vice-president engineering.

"In the third phase we want to investigate what happens with 100% power to the rotor," he said. The process will last for roughly three to four months.

Billig declined to reveal the company's new target for speed performance, but noted that during the first two test phases "the results were far beyond our expectations".

Meanwhile, Eurocopter is defining potential size requirements and missions for any possible future production aircraft to draw on the X3 programme's work. Candidate roles include search and rescue and offshore operations, plus possible armed applications and VIP transport use, Billig told Shephard's HeliPower conference in Farnborough, the UK on 20 October.

http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/71404
IAI研製無人直升機
2011-10-19
[據英國《飛行國際》網站2011年10月17日報導]以色列航宇工業集團（IAI）正在研發一型用於戰鬥補給和醫療後送任務的無人直升機。

IAI的Malat無人機分部銷售主管Avi Blesser稱，儘管該機的自動飛控系統到目前為止只是在Bell 212上進行了測試，但該系統對於不同平臺來說沒有顯著差異。

Blesser稱，為驗證該飛控系統的精確性，他們在直升機上懸掛了一個籃球，並用地面站成功地控制直升機多次將籃球放入籃筐中。

IAI計畫使用同樣的地面站對直升機進行控制，該設備已經在固定翼無人機上得到了使用，能夠確保其通用性良好且易於操縱。

IAI該專案來自於其合作夥伴Elbit系統公司，Elbit於今年5月贏得了以色列國防軍的一份合同，為其開發一型貨運無人飛行系統。

這個項目被取名為“飛行大象”，將承擔前線的補給任務。（中國航空工業發展研究中心  李昊）

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/iai-to-offer-unmanned-helicopter-363172/
IAI to offer unmanned helicopter  Print
 By: Arie Egozi Tel Aviv 12:00 18 Oct 2011  Source:  

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has become the latest company to offer an unmanned helicopter for combat resupply and medevac missions.

Avi Bleser, marketing director of IAI's Malat UAS division, said that although tests of the automated flight control system have so far been performed on a Bell 212, the system is platform neutral.

Blesser said that to prove the accuracy of its flight control system, a basketball was attached to the helicopter with a rope. The aircraft was manoeuvred using the ground station to repeatedly place the ball into the basket.

IAI plans to use the same ground station to control the helicopter as it already uses for its fixed-wing UAVs to ensure "commonalty and ease of operation".

The IAI initiative comes after fellow Israeli company Elbit Systems won a contract in May to develop a cargo unmanned air system for the Israel Defense Forces.

The project has been dubbed the "Flying Elephant" and is aimed at providing front-line resupply missions.

http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/71107
AVX公司加入美陸軍JMR項目
2011-10-10

[據英國《飛行國際》網站2011年10月4日報導]美國陸軍於今年9月底正式向位於德克薩斯州的新興公司AVX發佈了聯合多工旋翼機（JMR）項目研究合同，AVX成為繼波音、貝爾-波音和西科斯基公司之後JMR項目的第四個參與者。JMR專案計畫研製一型高速旋翼機，用於替換美軍現役的UH-60“黑鷹”和AH-64“阿帕奇”直升機。

AVX公司由原貝爾公司的一些工程師建立，到今年僅成立了2年。

貝爾、貝爾-波音和西科斯基公司的研究合同於今年6月發佈。該合同為期18個月，之後這4家製造商將交付一系列關於其選擇的構型在設計和費用方面的研究報告。陸軍計畫於2014財年選擇2家競標商進行原型機研製，用以驗證其設計方案的性能。

AVX公司提供的方案預計能夠達到約200kt（370km/h）的飛行速度，由2套直徑18.3m的共軸旋翼系統提供升力，並採用2套涵道式風扇提供水準推力。

其設計方案與他們向陸軍提供的OH-58D“基奧瓦勇士”的升級方案類似，該方案也採用共軸雙旋翼和2台涵道式推力風扇的佈局。AVX目前正在一架貝爾206上進行改造以對該構型進行驗證。他們還推出了基於該構型的民用型AVX 815和825。

陸軍對JMR項目的要求包括，在搭載2720kg（6000lb）的內載情況下飛行速度不能低於170kt（315km/h）。

AVX公司總裁兼首席工程師Troy Gaffey稱，他們將採用兩台4000軸馬力（2984kW）的發動機。他們方案基於正在進行的3000軸馬力的先進高經濟性渦輪發動機（AATE）的研發情況。目前GE和霍尼韋爾/普惠小組正在競爭該型號，Gaffey稱他對AATE的功率能夠達到4000軸馬力抱有信心。（中國航空工業發展研究中心  李昊）

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-army-considers-texas-start-ups-design-for-black-hawk-apache-replacement-362884/
US Army considers Texas start-up’s design for Black Hawk, Apache replacement  Print
 By: Stephen Trimble Washington DC 04:00 4 Oct 2011  Source:  

A Texas-based start-up will challenge three rotorcraft industry giants for a possible US Army contract to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache with a single, high-speed aircraft.

In late September, the US Army awarded the last of four study contracts for the joint multi-role (JMR) programme to AVX, a two-year-old company launched by former Bell Helicopter engineers.

In June, the army selected separate bids from Bell Boeing, Boeing and Sikorsky to participate in the same study. Over the next 18 months, the four companies will deliver a series of reports on design and cost options for each of their concepts. The army plans to select two bidders in fiscal year 2014 to build prototypes that demonstrate the performance of their aircraft designs.

AVX is proposing a new airframe with a speed of around 200kt (370km/h) that is powered by an 18.3m-diameter (60ft-diameter) coaxial rotor for vertical lift, and two ducted fans for horizontal thrust.

It is similar in concept to a standing proposal to the army by AVX to upgrade the Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior with a coaxial-rotor, ducted-fan propulsion system. AVX is currently modifying a Bell 206 Jet Ranger with the new propulsion system. It has also unveiled concepts for applying the coaxial-rotor, ducted-fan configuration to the civil market with the AVX 815 and 825.

For the JMR requirement, the army wants an aircraft with a minimum speed of 170kt that can carry a 2,720kg (6,000lb) internal load.

AVX's concept would require two engines generating 4,000shp (2,984kW) each, said Troy Gaffey, president and chief engineer. The proposal depends on the development of the 3,000shp advanced affordable turbine engine (AATE), Gaffey said. He added that the AATE, which is in competition between General Electric and a Honeywell/Pratt & Whitney team, should be scalable to 4,000shp.

http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/71084
美國海軍陸戰隊將在阿富汗部署K-MAX無人貨運直升機
2011-10-10
    [據洛馬公司網站2011年10月6日報導] 海軍陸戰隊將於下月在阿富汗部署洛馬公司和卡曼公司研製的K-MAX無人機。

     做出這一決定前，海軍完成了一次為期5天的無人貨運機飛行系統專案快速反應能力評估。上周作戰測試和評估司令部提交了正式的評估報告，確認K-MAX無人貨運直升機的貨運能力超過了海軍和海軍陸戰隊每天運輸6000磅貨物的指標要求。

     K-MAX無人機將成為海軍第一種部署在作戰地區的無人貨運直升機。其部署團隊最近在位於加里福尼亞的基地完成了訓練和飛行測試，目前正在進行將飛機運往戰區的準備工作。團隊組成人員包括現役作戰指揮官，飛機操控人員以及洛馬公司的雇員。（中國船舶工業綜合技術經濟研究院 程之年）

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2011/100511_LM_KAMAN_K-MAX.html
The Navy and Marine Corps Select Lockheed Martin/Kaman Unmanned K-MAX for Afghanistan Deployment

OWEGO, N.Y., October 5th, 2011 -- The Marine Corps will deploy the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and Kaman [NASDAQ-GS: KAMN] unmanned K-MAX® to Afghanistan next month.

The decision follows the successful completion of a five-day Quick Reaction Assessment for the U.S. Navy’s Cargo Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program. A formal report, released last week by Commander Operational Test and Evaluation Force, confirmed that the unmanned K-MAX exceeded the Navy and Marines’ requirement to deliver 6,000 pounds of cargo per day.

“This announcement underscores K-MAX’s strong performance and the strength of the Lockheed Martin/Kaman team,” said Dan Spoor, vice president of Aviation Systems in Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Sensors. “We are fully prepared to deploy our system and augment Marine Corps ground and air logistics in Afghanistan.”

K-MAX will be the Navy’s first-ever cargo unmanned aircraft system to deploy in an operational environment. The deploying team recently concluded training and flight tests at its base in Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., and is currently preparing the aircraft for shipment into theater. The team consists of active duty mission commanders, air vehicle operators and Lockheed Martin employees.

“I am very confident in both the team and the K-MAX UAS to successfully perform their missions while deployed,” said Rear Admiral Bill Shannon, Program Executive Officer for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons. “K-MAX has the capability to quickly deliver cargo, thus getting troops off the roads and allowing them to focus on other missions.”

“We are extremely honored to have been selected for deployment by the Navy,” said Sal Bordonaro, division president at Kaman Helicopters. “We are committed to providing the Marine Corps with the life-saving unmanned capability of our proven airframe, reducing the risk to our forces by taking the cargo resupply mission from the ground to the air.”

Since partnering in 2007, Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace have successfully transformed Kaman’s proven K-MAX power-lift manned helicopter into a UAS capable of autonomous or remote controlled cargo delivery.
 
Kaman designed the K-MAX platform, and Lockheed Martin has designed the helicopter’s mission management and control systems to provide the K-MAX with exceptional flight autonomy in remote environments and over long distances.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

Kaman Helicopters is a division of Kaman Aerospace Corporation, a subsidiary of Kaman Corporation. Founded in 1945 by aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman, and headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, the Company conducts business in the aerospace and industrial distribution markets.

http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/70310
洛克希德•馬丁公司完成美國海軍K-MAX貨運無人飛行系統專案評估
2011-09-07

    [據洛•馬公司網站2011年9月6日報導]洛克希德•馬丁公司領導的“無人K-MAX”團隊成功地對美國海軍貨運無人飛行系統專案完成了為期5天的快速反應評估（QRA）。K-MAX無人飛行系統設計的目的是用來為戰場上和較遠地區的海軍陸戰隊員提供再補給。

    2010年12月，美國海軍授予洛克希德•馬丁公司一份價值4580萬美元的合同，要求洛•馬公司利用無人K-MAX直升機進行對海軍陸戰隊無人貨運再補給的評估工作。美國海軍計畫在2011年秋季部署一套貨運無人飛行系統，這為期6個月的部署將增強海軍陸戰隊在阿富汗地區地面和空中的物流運作能力。

    貨運無人飛行系統專案經理派翠克•史密斯表示，“快速反應評估驗證了K-MAX在作戰環境中連續搭載貨物的能力。我們希望得到利用旋翼機裝備運載貨物的能力，同時這也能夠降低海軍陸戰隊員暴露在戰區簡易爆炸裝置前的風險。”

    QRA完成後的30天，作戰試驗與評估部隊指揮官將發佈一份正式的報告。海軍和海軍陸戰隊的領導將對結果進行審查，以決定該系統是否具備了進行作戰部署的能力。

    2011年7月，K-MAX成功完成了電磁環境效應（E3）試驗。E3試驗的目的是為了考察飛機在某種特定頻率下的電磁敏感性，電磁敏感性能夠影響飛機上的很多關鍵飛行系統。

    卡曼宇航公司負責設計K-MAX平臺，洛克希德•馬丁公司負責設計直升機的任務管理和控制系統，通過這些系統能夠在遠端賦予K-MAX卓越的自主飛行能力。（中國船舶工業綜合技術經濟研究院  宋磊）

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/news/press_releases/2011/090611_LM_KAMAN_K-MAX_QRA.html
Lockheed Martin/KAMAN K-MAX Completes U.S. Navy Unmanned Cargo Assessment
YUMA, Ariz., September 6th, 2011 -- The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]-led unmanned K-MAX® team successfully completed a five-day Quick Reaction Assessment (QRA) for the U.S. Navy’s Cargo Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program.

“The autonomous flying K-MAX is designed to resupply Marines on the battlefield and in remote locations,” said Roger Il Grande, director of Airborne Systems at Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors. “Through various scenarios during QRA, the unmanned K-MAX UAS performed extremely well, exceeding the cargo delivery objectives of the assessment.”

The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $45.8 million contract in December 2010 for unmanned K-MAX helicopters to perform in a U.S. Marine Corps evaluation of unmanned cargo resupply. The Navy intends to field a Cargo UAS this fall for a six-month deployment to augment Marine Corps ground and air logistics operations in Afghanistan.

"The Quick Reaction Assessment proved sustainment of a cargo-carrying capability in an operational environment” said Capt. Patrick Smith, Cargo UAS program manager at the Navy’s Patuxent River, Md., facility. "We look forward to deploying a capability that will supplement rotary wing assets and reduce Marine Corps exposure to improvised explosive devices in theater."

A formal report will be released by Commander Operational Test and Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR) 30 days post completion of QRA. Results will be reviewed by Navy and Marine Corps leadership to determine the system’s suitability for deployment.

In July, the unmanned K-MAX successfully completed Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) testing at Pax River. The purpose of the E3 testing was to measure and provide results regarding the aircraft's electromagnetic susceptibility to certain frequencies, which can affect flight-critical and other systems on the aircraft.

“Since partnering in 2007, Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace have successfully transformed Kaman’s proven K-MAX power-lift manned helicopter into a UAS capable of autonomous or remote controlled cargo delivery,” said Terry Fogarty, general manager, UAS Product Group at Kaman Aerospace.

Kaman designed the K-MAX platform, and Lockheed Martin has designed the helicopter’s mission management and control systems to provide the K-MAX with exceptional flight autonomy in remote environments and over long distances.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

Kaman Helicopters is a division of Kaman Aerospace Corporation, a subsidiary of Kaman Corporation (NASDAQ-GS: KAMN). Founded in 1945 by aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman, and headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut, the Company conducts business in the aerospace and industrial distribution markets.  

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/110815/16/2ww5r.html
美匿蹤直升機 巴國外洩給中國
 更新日期:2011/08/15 08:21
 
（路透伊斯蘭馬巴德14日電）「金融時報」（Financial Times）今天報導，巴基斯坦容許中國查看先前未為外界所知的美國「匿蹤」直升機，這架直升機於5月狙殺蓋達首腦賓拉登的突擊行動中墜毀，而美國中央情報局曾叮嚀，不可讓人探察該機。

這項披露如證明屬實，可能會進一步撼動美國、巴基斯坦關係。美、巴關係因狙殺賓拉登（Osama binLaden）行動，下挫至數十年來低點，所幸這一陣以來略有增進。

在狙殺突擊中，2架改造強化黑鷹直升機中的1架，故障墜毀，美軍突擊隊被迫放棄該機，這架黑鷹直升機據信應用了外界未知的匿蹤科技。

金融時報網站引述「情報圈」人士的話說：「美國現在獲悉，巴基斯坦，特別是其三軍情報局（ISI），讓中國軍方察看墜落在巴國阿伯塔巴德（Abbottabad）的黑鷹直升機。」

報導說，與中國關係密切的巴基斯坦，讓中國情報官員拍攝直升機殘骸照片，並在其特殊「外皮」上取樣。

這層特殊外皮，就是美軍突擊隊得能避過巴基斯坦雷達偵察的關鍵所在。

匿名美國官員說，美方有理由相信，巴基斯坦已讓中國查看該機。

巴基斯坦軍方未能連絡上，以查證此事，不過巴國三軍情報局否認此事，陸軍高層將領也否認曾讓中國察看此直升機。

http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/69193
西科斯基公司X2技術驗證機退役
2011-07-20
[據英國《飛行國際》網站2011年7月15日報導]西科斯基公司在7月14日完成了X2技術驗證機的最後一次飛行，在其沒有達到最終的試驗目標時結束了該專案。

在6月舉行的巴黎航展上，西科斯基總裁Jeffrey Pino曾表示，在最後一次飛行時，X2將加裝一個旋翼主軸減阻裝置。該裝置將改善反轉的兩套旋翼之間的旋翼軸的氣動特性，降低其阻力，該方案已在西科斯基公司內部經歷了近一年的討論。

但根據西科斯基公司提供的圖片，在最後一次飛行中，該減阻裝置並沒有安裝在X2驗證機上。

西科斯基公司隨後解釋道，這是為了節省資源，以保證其隨後研製的S-97的首批兩架原型機能夠在其預定的時間進度內（3年）完成。

西科斯基公司對未安裝的減阻裝置曾寄予很高希望，認為其能夠顯著提高X2的飛行速度，一位元官員曾表示其能夠將飛行速度提高15節。

X2專案共投資5千萬美元，為S-97“劫掠者”原型機研製項目鋪平了道路。S-97定義為高速武裝偵察機，預計在2014年首飛。（中國航空工業發展研究中心  李昊）

http://www.dsti.net/Information/News/68711
巴黎航展：西科斯基公司X2驗證機計畫今年夏天進行最後的試飛
2011-06-30
[據英國《飛行國際》2011年6月20日報導]西科斯基公司總裁Jeff Pino表示，X2技術驗證機將於今年夏天進行一次最後的飛行，以測試其雙旋翼之間的旋翼軸整流罩效果。

Pino稱，這次試驗不是為了讓X2達到更高的飛行速度，主要是評估其旋翼軸部分結構在扭矩和風力作用下的工作狀況，並稱其整流罩減阻效果如果足夠立項的話將使飛行速度的增加值達到2位數。

這次飛行將在西科斯基公司佛羅里達州西棕櫚海岸的試飛場進行，並將邀請軍方客戶參加。試飛結束後X2將進行一系列巡迴展覽，結束後交給史密森學會的國家航宇及空間博物館。西科斯基公司曾考慮今年5月在安德魯空軍基地進行一次公開的X2飛行表演，但由於其沒有足夠的飛行時間進行FAA的實驗適飛性認證而作罷，該認證是這次飛行表演的一個必要條件。Pino稱，他們是美國低下的飛行測試效率的一個犧牲品。（中國航空工業發展研究中心  李昊）

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/06/20/358354/paris-sikorsky-advances-optionally-manned-voice-control-features-for-fbw.html
DATE:20/06/11
SOURCE:Flight Daily News
PARIS: Sikorsky advances optionally manned, voice control features for FBW helicopters
By John Croft

By the end of this year Sikorsky hopes to demonstrate an optionally piloted resupply mission using a fly-by-wire UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter platform it plans to loan from the US Army.

Sikorsky president Jeff Pino said the Sikorsky-built automatic flight control augmentation system, packaged in an electronics box roughly 0.3m x 0.6m (1ft x 2ft) in size, has already been validated and he has personally tested the system in a simulator.

"By the end of the year, we hope to fly an autonomous resupply mission," said Pino. "The helicopter will land, and two pilots will get in and fly any other mission the Black Hawk can do."

The army is considering a FBW upgrade for its UH-60M fleet, that would provide the backbone needed to host the advanced control system, which among other features would allow for hands-off landings or reduced crew options. Sikorsky has proposed an optionally manned architecture in which operators can select either zero, one and two pilots.

Pino hightlighted the importance of FBW to such advanced functionality, saying that the feature will likely be standard on every helicopter the company develops going forward.

Along with the X2 demonstrator, Sikorsky's new CH-53K has FBW controls, along with its Canadian maritime version of the S-92, the CH-148 Cyclone. "I can't imagine another new start where we don't put in FBW," said Pino.

He added that the FBW-enabled flight control laws on the CH-53K "takes stress and strain and complexity out of the cockpit".

Pino added that pilots can enable the automatic mode by "upshifting" a lever similar to a gear shifter in a car, an action he said will eventually be voice activated.