X-50A testbed may lead to faster hybrid helo | Aviation International News

X-50A testbed may lead to faster hybrid helo

In the aeronautical mountain range, a few peaks are still unclimbed.

By Bill Wagstaff

April 18, 2008

In the aeronautical mountain range, a few peaks are still unclimbed. Some goals, once thought impossible, are an everyday fact. Jet propulsion, supersonic flight, a practical helicopter and the miracles of manned and unmanned spaceflight all whiz past our bemused faces while we scarcely register a raised eyebrow.

But there are still some peaks to be scaled. Among them is the apparently absolute speed limit for helicopters. The current top speed for a rotorcraft is 216 kt (249 mph), set by a specially modified Westland Lynx on August 11, 1986.

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