A helicopter may seem at first glance like a simple,
whirligig flying machine, but in fact it’s an incredibly complex collection of
rotating parts that requires great skill to fly and maintain.
How to design the
next generation of helicopters presents a daunting challenge—with so much going
on, every tiny tweak trips a chain of other changes that must be made, and
progress is excruciatingly slow.
But now Bell Helicopter, a Textron company, has for the
first time stepped up to take on the challenge to imagine and create a
conceptual helicopter of the future. The new concept aircraft, the Bell
FCX-001, incorporates cutting-edge technologies with the aim to make
helicopters smarter, safer, more efficient, and easier to fly.
The FCX-001 is the result of six months’ work by a team of
engineers and graphic designers. It’s essentially a three-dimensional road map,
incorporating emerging technologies and innovations into a package that allows
both the creative team and future customers to imagine the next generation of
helicopters. The new technologies include a hybrid propulsion system that’s
simpler to operate and maintain, an anti-torque system in the tail boom that’s
safer and quieter, morphing rotor blades for enhanced efficiency, and an
advanced flight deck to ease the pilot’s workload.
For passengers, individualized augmented-reality systems in
the cabin make it easy to choose from a range of options—catch up on world
news, host a video conference, share documents with other passengers, or relax
with a movie or music. The FCX-001 is just the first step in creating the
helicopter of the future, says Bell. The engineering and design team continues
their work, behind closed doors—and when they’re ready, Bell will reveal the
next step in the evolutionary road map for rotary flight. (bellhelicopter.com)
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