Racer - Inside the high speed demonstrator

A Clean Sky 2 research project with 40 partners in 13 European countries.
Take a look at the Racer demonstrator, a partnership between the EU and industry and a perfect example of the level of innovation that can be achieved when European partners work together.
The aircraft recently performed its first flight, allowing the flight test team to check the overall behaviour of the aircraft.
This important milestone launches the flight campaign which will take two years and will aim to progressively open the aircraft’s flight envelope and demonstrate its high speed capabilities.
The Racer also targets a fuel consumption reduction of around 20% thanks to aerodynamic optimisation and an innovative eco-mode propulsion system.
#AirbusHelicopters #Racer #innovation #airbus
‪@cleanaviation6666‬

[@mds3697]

* Airwolf soundtrack starts playing *

[@iceman9678]

They gonna need a volcano.

[@alexandersandilands2734]

I could totally get behind this being Airwolf Mk.2 possibly. Although possibly changing the 2 propellers for smaller jet engines

[@coolleo149]

Nicely done Airbus Helicopters let’s go!

[@lexnite22]

So the x3 is back?!!

[@lexnite22]

Is it x3 combined with H160?!

[@coolleo149]

Honestly it’s just called the racer, but there’s no model name of the number or letter itself

[@lexnite22]

@@coolleo149 yea after watching a it few times it has a completely different body to the x3, which looked like it was based after the as365 dauphin. This Racer looks closer to the H160

[@sc149]

Please, call it the Biplopter.

[@KeyanShokraie]

This looks like an awesome aircraft

[@coolleo149]

It sure does. Imagine if it came to my airport and I would’ve been surprised like crazy! XD

[@somealias-zs1bw]

Can only imagine the maintenance hours per flight hour ratio for something like this.

[@Adrenaline_chaser]

​@@somealias-zs1bw really? I mean, this whole project was born to reduce costs while increasing the speed (racer stands for "Rapid and COST EFFECTIVE rotorcraft) and...they did take their sweet time developing this thing, with the first X3 prototype starting to fly from 2010. 14 years of optimizations later, I'd expect the costs to be somewhat manageable you know...But the again, they still haven't published anything related to unit price or maintenance costs.

[@shmod97]

airbus rocks

[@billyponsonby]

Looks awesome!

[@VacuousCat]

The world has finally got a compound helicopter on the market again!

[@davidanalyst671]

the USA army just got a contract for hundreds of bell v280 to replace the blackhawk

[@JoseAntonioCampoMartinez]

Me gusta el diseño y sus dos nuevos rotores laterales, además desaparece el rotor trasero y su forma de volar tiene que ser muy agradable. Muy buen trabajo.

[@cyromartinsbicudo]

Can't hear the aircraft. The music is so annoying

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

its probably loud as fuck!

[@AndreyPutilov]

That's all cgi, you won't hear real sound anyway (other than from several last shots). It's just a raw demonstration.

[@joseantoniofrancocruz340]

Just wonderful and amazing performance. Luv it.

[@LuizCarlosMartini-wg7jl]

A Airbus conseguiu reunir nesta aeronave, o melhor do helicóptero e o melhor do avião, as hélices laterais movimentadas por um sistema cardan, acopladas às asas assimétricas, um conjunto aerodinâmico inovador. Um conceito simples e eficiente. Esplêndido!

[@xxxxxxxxxxhardy]

This seems ,on the face of it, a simpler design than the V22 Osprey with its swivelling engine pods. Good luck to Airbus .

[@Freq412]

Apples and oranges

[@92JohnDorian]

has barely anything to do with the osprey. thank you for your comment.

[@brianb-p6586]

@@92JohnDorian The intent of compound helicopters, tilt-wings, and tilt-rotors is identical: to combine the VTOL capability of helicopters with higher speed and greater efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft.

[@92JohnDorian]

@@brianb-p6586 and it still has barely anything to do with the osprey. thank you for your comment

[@brianb-p6586]

@92JohnDorian it has everything to do with the Osprey, because a compound helicopter like this is a direct alternative to a tilt-rotor such as the Osprey.

[@christophergarcia4117]

This is a beautiful design

[@jmorello123]

Nice graphic representations! 👍

[@smoketinytom]

Glad we've got an update. I heard about the first flight, but was sad to see no raw video of it flying... Want to see how it sounds vs the regular helo's we've all heard for years now.

[@thomaslavin3640]

Kool 👍😎. Awesome... would be great for Air Medivac. Air Ambulance..US Coastguard.

[@KNJensen]

Very interesting! How is the size of the cabin? Like a H145 or more like a H160? This would be a gamechanger for HEMS operations.

[@michaelwilliam7634]

I want one!!

[@Will-he-wont-he]

Very impressive ...

[@PranofCinglesLmao]

THIS IS SO COOL

[@HarryL2020]

Dual rotor makes more sense since you don't have to worry about losing lift on one side at high speeds

[@travelchoice89]

🏎💨 Wow, this video is an adrenaline rush from start to finish! The speed of the Racer high-speed demonstrator is absolutely mind-blowing! 🚀 The sleek design and powerful performance make it a true marvel of engineering. Watching it in action is like witnessing a symphony of speed and precision! 🎶🔥

[@Verbatino]

I have many concerns about this design. I think Bell V-280 Valor have much more chances to be a successful next-gen aircraft...

[@r0tb3rt]

Interesting, I wonder how much uplift those wings create.

[@johnrawlings3657]

Beautiful

[@marcuseh]

Next gen Airwolf..

[@iansellers406]

Magnifique Flying Machine !

[@burddog0792]

Want to see the gunship variant.

[@benrussell-gough1201]

Anyone else humming the Airwolf theme tune?

[@TheDasHatti]

but, will it also make Mach2? :)

[@jandebuhr]

Great achievement. Can you please bring the Photo from Second 00:09 as Wallpaper? Thank you.

[@captainMony]

Guys went all out on the soundtrack!

[@cgh1279]

Will the Racer Prototype comes to the ILA in Berlin?

[@user-op9yt6zs8b]

Heli: Am I a drone. Drone: I don't know what you are.😂

[@savagecub]

Ahhh…. I have a hangar you can park that in. Just leave the keys in it in case I need to move it !

[@GT47179]

Very slick 😮

[@deep.space.12]

Isn't the main limit of helicopter speed its main rotor blades rotating forward will be supersonic? How's adding two pushers gonna change that?

[@skullandbones1832]

❤

[@adivinaca]

in case of emergency landing the cost of rapair would be enormous, because those two engines are very close to the floor.

[@christiantosumbung5791]

Inherent safety of this aircraft when on the ground is a big concern. Since the props are within striking distance of ground personnel, the no approach zone of the aircraft is much higher than the traditional helicopter. So can only approach the front part of the aircraft while the engines are on. Don’t know if the cargo and stretcher loading has taken this into account. Otherwise engine will have to be turned off every time need to load up.

[@MadScientist512]

They must be electric so they shouldn't be running on the ground at all when they're not needed, the only time it'd make sense to run them on the ground would be during the takeoff of a helicopter loaded heavy enough to need a run-up to use the wings to help lift it into the air.

[@Gyratus]

For 50 years we had planes with rotors in range of personnel and there were no more troubles than today. Just a matter of habit and formation.

[@LordManhattan]

Now this is podracing

[@inawan13]

God damn

[@GermanGreetings]

That`s new hope !

[@theshadow5800]

What's the design feature in this aircraft that doesn't require a tail rotor to counteract main rotor torque?

[@kukajin9560]

i like the concept, but advertising it as an EMS heli seems like a bad idea just due to onboarding and offboarding patients would be a real PITA with the layout

[@mwip57]

The bottom wings connect just slightly forward of the trail boom. Looks like it works fine to me.

[@JoshyRode]

Where can i apply for test flying? :D

[@Adrenaline_chaser]

"Rapid and Cost Effective Rotorcraft - RACER" So how much cost effective are they? what's the unit price of these?

[@x-gamessimulator1067]

And the cost of maintaining such a complex system!

[@Adrenaline_chaser]

​@@x-gamessimulator1067 yeah totally. The "total cost of ownership" is the thing that matters the most to operators (and rightfully so).

[@wickedcabinboy]

No tail rotor. What happens if one of the wing engines fails?

[@Dimaz42]

how does it counteract the torque of the main rotor? 🤔

[@Huli-Man]

Im just guessing but you can run the pusher propellers at diffirent speed

[@Dimaz42]

@@Huli-Man I see.. so if the rotor spins clockwise, then the pusher on the left has higher rpm

[@Huli-Man]

@@Dimaz42 you could run them at same RPM, just change the angle on the propeler blades so it scoop up more air per turn so you get more thrust from one of them to counter act the torque from rotor and also to change direction at a low to hover speed. But again im just guessing🙂

[@Dimaz42]

@@Huli-Man your first assessment seems correct, at least for the X3: _"The pusher propellers generate differential thrust to counteract the torque generated by the main rotor."_

[@mrjweate]

@@Huli-ManNot different speed. Just different pitch of the blades for different thrust, or reverse pitch for reverse thrust.

[@SERGIO-cr6uy]

3 questions que j'aimerais poser à Airbus: 1) S'il devait être commercialisé combien coûterait-il ? 2) Quelle distance pourrait-il parcourir ? 3) pourquoi les extrémités des pales ne sont pas en "boomerang"? (J'entends bien que ce n'est qu'un prototype mais...)

[@admin4munich]

could this thing landing verticaly? it looks like in the vid it starts and lands like an airplane.

[@DoRC]

Drives me nuts when these videos don't let us actually hear the thing.

[@QXZ9027MKII]

What’s the speed of the racer.

[@cpt_kludge]

So is this an Auto gyro that can hover?

[@popptrp]

Can electric motors also work like the reserve / emergency when the ice engine failed?

[@evgenuy228]

а он может садиться как самолет или будет только как самолет ? и смогут ли горизонтальные двигатели поддерживать вертолет ввоздухе при отказе вертолетных лопастей ( или хотя бы не дадут свалиться и помогут в пикировании )

[@JinNani224]

Why the pusher config and why keep an engine off during cruise? Also why even spin the rotor during cruise? Finally, can it even hover? I don’t see a tail rotor

[@RameshKumar-kb7hp]

Yeah we never saw it hover. It must be unstable

[@matthewkantar5583]

It uses the pusher props instead of a tail rotor?

[@dacat8171]

Dear Airbus, the most efficient design is the tilt rotor. Why do you come up with a compound design?

[@NoManDetected]

bc their objective is cost-cutting

[@sshray1115]

That's *Helicopter-NG*

[@stug77]

Haven't we seen this one before?

[@x-gamessimulator1067]

Yes

[@tobiwan001]

1:04 Symmetric thrust? How do you counter the rotation of the main rotor then?

[@roberthavran2522]

@tobiwan001 As long as the airspeed is high enough, the vertical stabilisers can counter the rotation of the main rotor. This is nothing new, normal helicopters can maintain a stable flight even when the rear rotot fails if the speed is sufficient enough. So in this case symmetric thrust only at cruising speed.

[@zhaoyuanlow8154]

I swear this heli better be served in the military

[@shonen84]

Why do I hear the Airwolf theme suddenly

[@iFryTube]

Bringing old tech back?

[@Freq412]

Looks like the anti-torque scheme could be redundant, nice! But if the electrics fail, loss of yaw control, so autorotation? Or yaw control via ailerons(?) and a run on landing?

[@brianb-p6586]

The video doesn't provide details, but it does list mechanical flight controls as a feature, so yaw control is probably not lost to an electrical failure.

[@Freq412]

@@brianb-p6586 I might also mention that I think we will find "electrics" to be incredibly reliable, except for the batteries. And I'm sure that engine driven generators would be designed to support the prop-motors. So my original question might not even be a primary concern.

[@brianb-p6586]

@@Freq412 the propellers are not driven by electric motors - they are connected by mechanical shafts to the main transmission.

[@Freq412]

@@brianb-p6586 Ah ha. Thanks. This machine is so interesting....

[@jnx4803]

Getting in and out of that thing is a one way trip...

[@mds3697]

Can it pull a looping?

[@_BL4CKB1RD_]

You can only go so fast until the main rotor can’t spin fast enough to produce lift.

[@iamjesper]

Can i buy one?

[@NoChance797]

Good luck getting on board after start up. lol

[@mds3697]

I'm sure the wing propellors will start up only after takeoff?

[@NoChance797]

@@mds3697 The wing propellers are used to counter act spin, replacing the tail rotor. They couldn't possibly takeoff safely without them. Maybe the wing propellers can be turned off independent to the main rotor when at idle. I dunno...

[@thongvoquoc1624]

I don't understand. The side rotors are just the electric fans, not engines, right? If this helicopter has 3 rotors and 2 jet engines and only gets speed 220 knocks, that is unacceptable.

[@agps4418]

me likey!

[@mullayho1759]

Hybrid? How does that work?

[@mehmetaltas1188]

I think it will too much fuel comsumption. Smaller propeller can be Electric motor and can be use like drone propellers.

[@joshdenton611]

i like the idea, but as a passenger helicopter it would be very difficult to keep the passengers from walking into the blades. i'd place them further towards the back for safety reasons if at all possible.🤯💩😮

[@halcon2134]

It is an evolved autogyro. good

[@brianb-p6586]

No, it's not. The main rotor is powered.

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

@@brianb-p6586 during cruise they idle an engine and the main rotor is essentially flying on translating lift alone

[@brianb-p6586]

@ghostrider-be9ek an autogyro uses the main rotor in autorotation - the airflow is upward through the unpowered rotor. A helicopter powers the main rotor - airflow is downward through the rotor. There is no indication that this Airbus design transitions to autorotation. Perhaps you're thinking that the use of propellers for horizontal thrust at high speed makes or an autogyro, but it does not; that's what makes it a compound helicopter. All compound helicopters unload the main rotor to some extent with wing lift, but as long as the main rotor remains powered, it is not an autogyro.

[@Ozmy]

I guess the price will equal a couple of helicopters and two Cessna Caravans together

[@adamfilip]

looks cool. but having the extra props seems dangerous to ground crew or paramedics

[@amentco8445]

Isn't it better to get there faster?

[@adamfilip]

@@amentco8445 faster is better then Safer?

[@vigilante3916]

Why are everyone following footsteps of Soviet Union aircraft designs?

[@WestCoastWheelman]

Dave Sparks I know you're here watching this over and over again, stop drooling and get back to work! 😂

[@noahpfeifer6931]

I miss the EC 120 :-(

[@bupyctv2474]

Chers concepteurs bonne journée! Vous pouvez dire à quel point le système de transport de l'hélicoptère RACER Project EST unifié avec le système de transport de l'hélicoptère H160. Et je comprends bien que le manchon du rotor principal sur le RACER est fabriqué à partir d'un matériau composite polymère à base thermoplastique (CF+PEEK) comme sur le H160? Et pouvez-vous suggérer quelle est la proportion d'utilisation de matériaux composites polymères sur une base thermoplastique dans la conception du prototype (démonstrateur)?

[@patricknevermind8529]

So how much faster is it?

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

220 kts vs 120-130 kts?

[@patricknevermind8529]

@@ghostrider-be9ek I mean vs a regular helicopter.

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

@@patricknevermind8529 i just stated the speed comparisons

[@ghostrider-be9ek]

Cost per hour is 2x an AS350 B3? lol

[@rafaelschleinkofer1632]

Why no contra-rotating rotors?

[@Tradiejoe284]

Because, the engineers decided that wasn't needed for the aircraft. Different rotor systems are picked based off of varying decisions

[@emsea1658]

@@Tradiejoe284 what a good non answer. You like to hear yourself talk don’t you.

[@Tradiejoe284]

@@emsea1658 You like to like yourself, don't you? The chances of Airbus commenting themselves is low...so I supplied an actual answer.

[@Tradiejoe284]

Also, contra-rotating rotors are practically exclusive to Kamov. They're heavy, expensive, dangerous, is more complex, prone more to mechanical issues, require high maintenance, and so much more

[@troublecluster]

The torque from the main rotor is being cancelled out by the pusher props so no need for a contra rotating system or a tail rotor.

[@frntx5314]

Range of 400Nm, is Newton a distance measurement? I guess it's Km.. (min 0:15)

[@sebastiendine4834]

Nm = Nautical Mile 1Nm = 1.852km. This is relevant unit if you plan to use this aircraft in maritime applications.

[@Wertdante]

Nautical miles bro

[@andromedach]

Oh just pay to use the Airwolf theme and be done with it

[@mitchlza]

So a gyro that people can't laugh at

[@RameshKumar-kb7hp]

thrust to weight ratio sucks. Good experiment tho!

[@ankursahu269]

Please increase your engine power please sir please

[@petrnovak1964]

wow, a helicopter

[@gpshangari]

vvip 20M will sell all day long.

[@user-bl9fj7kf1s]

Put rocket engine on it

[@2011manikanta]

Higher probability of getting sliced.

[@offensivebias1898]

Euros a decade behind the Americans in aviation innovation.... sounds about right.

[@raphael7552]

Ça va être sympa quand les premiers étourdis vont de faire hacher par les deux rotors verticaux. Parce que ça arrivera, c'est ecrit. Demandez à Murphy.

[@barrettpickett5603]

The idea seems cool. The look is not great.

[@jamesroy791]

New Airbus product 👍 New Boeing product 👎

[@emotionalIntelligence2078]

Bad design. The propellers should have been somewhere in the tail end just like new gen choppers are designed. The mast wing span pressure on the propellers in bad weathers isnt good.

[@Hinterhof-qx5ql]

I'm looking forward to never hearing of this again!

[@howdywowey2165]

Outdated design. V-280 is superior aircraft.

[@solarissv777]

Well, yes and no. This one looks much simpler and thus cheaper