Comments on: Eurocopter’s X3

By: Jim Borger

Jim Borger — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 22:59:05 +0000

My problem is loading/unloading with the engines running. It is not unusual for me to fly in an enviroment during the winter months where the winds are too high for me to shut down and the size of the heliport doesen’t always allow me to park directly into the wind. The propellors in this design provide yaw control and sometimes I have to keep the rotor rpm at full throttle to insure I have full tail rotor authority and I can keep the aircraft from weather vaning into the wind. I’m all for research but I don’t see this design as being practical.

By: Gary Byer

Gary Byer — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:56:37 +0000

The Moller VTOL (vertical take-of or landing) craft located at Davis, CA is the answer. No rotor blade used-no rotor to fail. If our government would just see it, Moller Sky Car for what it is and what it can do they would fund it. Check it out “Moller.com”

By: John F

John F — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 16:23:24 +0000

@Avi:

Regarding your concern of prop or shaft failure to a propeller, here are my thoughts:

I would expect that the individual drives to the wings could be disconnected in the event of a failure, however in certain parts of the envelope it would be essential to maintain power to the remaining prop in order to provide for anti-yaw control. Given reversable propellers, either side could be made to perform this function as an emergency measure. Only if both side forward thrust units were to fail would you have a serious problem, akin to a tail rotor failure, and then only if forward speed was insufficient to allow the rudders to provide adequate yaw control.

I can see technology being available to make this project work in a practical sense; Frank’s point about the KIAS:Dollar ratio is more likely the limiting factor.

By: Frank Holt

Frank Holt — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:00:43 +0000

The X3 taxied past my office at Arlington, TX airport yesterday and I was astounded at this amazing aircraft. As a pilot one always enjoys seeing new flying machines. While developement of such wonderful machines usually improves something else in aviation by vitrue of the research and testing that we all benefit from; one wonders if the tremendous cost of purchase, maintaining, and crew training for such an aircraft is worth the extra 50kts of speed.

I am thankful for all the forward thinkers and investors for the future of aviation!!

By: Avi Weiss

Avi Weiss — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:45:00 +0000

While I’m certain clever transmission design will enable either engine to drive both props should an ENGINE fail, Would be interesting to understand how the system is designed to react should one of the wing-mounted PROPS or DRIVE SHAFT fail. Casual observation would seem to yield that any failure of the side-props would require immediate power cessation and auto to prevent unmanageable yaw. I’m guessing there are some clever “active control systems” in place to help mitigate some of these scenarios.

Would also be interesting to hear the FAAs take on what sort of pilot rating would be required to fly this, and what kind of training would be required: powered lift? multi-engine? single-prop?