Pushing the Envelope: Eurocopter X3 and X4

Stephen Pope

Friday, July 20, 2012 at 11:25 PM ET

Verified

Eurocopter X3

Key Takeaways:

Eurocopter has launched two concurrent research and development programs, the X3 and X4, to produce next-generation civil and military helicopters with "extreme" and "radical" designs.
The X4, designed to replace the EC 155 Dauphin, prioritizes significant advancements in technology, performance, operating costs, environmental impact (20% more fuel-efficient, 50% sound reduction), and will feature a "dramatically transformed" cockpit.
The X3 technology demonstrator, utilizing a hybrid design with a main rotor and two forward-facing turboprop engines, achieved an impressive 232 knots, aiming to demonstrate high-speed cruise efficiency at a more affordable cost.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Looking ahead at the future of rotorcraft design, Eurocopter has launched two concurrent research and development programs that are aimed at producing the company’s next generation of civil and military helicopters. To say these designs are extreme in appearance and operation is an understatement. Quite simply, nothing like the Eurocopter X3 and X4 has ever taken flight.

The X4 is part of the major innovation and fleet renewal program to replace the Eurocopter EC 155 Dauphin, which has been a top seller in the medium-lift helicopter category since its introduction 1975. The X4 is an extremely ambitious design, particularly in terms of the technology, performance, operating costs, environmental impact targets and even the overall way the pilot will control the helicopter.