As part of its €1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) Clean Sky joint technology initiative, Europe is undertaking a number of projects toward the development of more-electric helicopters. A March call for proposal noted that “a primary objective of the Green Rotorcraft integrated technology demonstrator (ITD) is the removal of hydraulics from all rotorcraft systems.” To that end, several projects are looking at technology demonstrators for electrically powered pieces of equipment.
One €1 million ($1.4 million) topic is devoted to electric motors powering landing-gear wheels on the ground, a propulsion method that would avoid spinning the rotor just for taxiing. The electric motors are expected to yield benefits in noise, fuel consumption and ground personnel safety. Requirements for the project are an 11-knot maximum ground speed, an average speed of five knots and taxiing time of 10 minutes. The demonstration’s results are expected to be delivered in October 2013 and should assess the system’s integration on a medium twin (six tons, 13,000 pounds).
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