Aircraft News

Sikorsky to build experimental VTOL aircraft 

The Connecticut-based helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky is to build experimental VTOL aircraft. The company has been awarded a $14.4 million contract by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)for this purpose. The company has to design and develop a Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircraft. The project is experimental, and called VTOL X-Plane.

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The contract involves the development  of  an aircraft weighing 4500 to 4500 kg with vertical lifting capability and fly at speeds of 300 to 400kt. In the pirst phase about $130 millions will be spent over a period of 52 months.

Importance is placed upon payload ability, which demands lifting ability of at least 15.5% of gross weight. Other parameters are according to the company, improvement in speed, hovering efficiency and perform useful work of such class aircrafts.

The company does not give much information about this aircraft. The company’s press release says” it integrates fixed wing aerodynamics and advanced rotor control to provide a low complexity configuration capable of meeting the challenging DARPA program goals.”

The aircraft, according to the company is expected to fly in the fourth quarter of 2017.

 Agusta Westland close to Merlin HC3 upgrade deal with UK 

 In another reported military related deal AgustaWestland is believed to close to signing a deal with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to upgrade a 25 AW101 Merlin helicopters currently operated by the Royal Navy. The contract may be signed during the course of 2014.

The  reported deal is worth 330 million pounds. The deal is to cover the upgrade of HC3/3A to the standards of HC4/4A currently operated by Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force. The upgrade involves  the inclusion of folding tail and rotor blades and avionics.

This news carries no comments from the  MoD.