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Charlotte Bailey

Leonardo Helicopters has made the first flight of its Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR) demonstrator aircraft from its Costa di Samarate facility in Italy.&nbsp;Part of an EU-funded initiative, NGCTR was first launched in 2015 under the European Union’s Clean Aviation Clean Sky 2 program, which described the project’s aims to “design, install and demonstrate, in flight, innovative civil tiltrotor technologies enabling future prototype development.” At the time, Clean Aviation suggested a first flight in 2023.
Ground runs in June 2024 paved the way for the latest milestone, which “represents a fundamental step towards validating the five new technologies and performance improvements,” Lonardo said. To help achieve this, the demonstrator includes “advanced wing architecture, innovative tail layout, non-tilting engine installation…[and] an advanced, modular, distributed and scalable flight control system.”
The Italian OEM intends for the NGCTR to “revolutionise civil vertical lift by combining helicopter versatility with fixed-wing aircraft performance.” Its prototype aircraft offers a cruise speed of 280 knots and a range of around 1,000 nm. According to Leonardo, this will open “new scenarios for mobility, freight transport, and search-and-rescue missions, enabling faster coverage of larger areas.”
More than 85 organizations from 15 countries are collaborating on the NGCTR project, which has received around €116 million ($136 million) in EU funding.

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Leonardo Next-gen Civil Tiltrotor Demonstrator Makes First Flight

 EU Clean Sky 2-funded project to mature civilian aircraft technologies 

Leonardo Helicopters has made the first flight of its Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR) demonstrator aircraft 

Leonardo Next-gen Civil Tiltrotor Makes First Flight

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