Racer Readying for First Flight | Aviation International News

HAI Convention News 2023

Racer Readying for First Flight

Airbus is preparing its "rapid and cost-efficient aircraft" or Racer high-speed demonstrator to begin flight testing this year.

Airbus Racer — The high-speed Airbus Racer demonstrator is expected to fly in the second half of 2023.

By Gregory Polek • Senior Editor

March 6, 2023

Airbus expects yet another technology demonstrator, called Racer (rapid and cost-efficient rotorcraft) to fly in the second half of 2023 after supply chain constraints forced the most recent first-flight delay from 2022.

The high-speed demonstrator, which flies as fast as 400 km/h (216 knots), features two pusher propellers mounted to a fixed double wing, or “wing box,” and a five-bladed main rotor. The unique wings actively enhance the helicopter’s performance by providing additional vertical lift and the ability to fly farther and faster than conventional helicopters. At cruise speed, roughly half the helicopter’s lift comes from its fixed wing. Meanwhile, its asymmetric tail boom produces a performance gain of up to 10 percent in hover.

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