Page 44 - World Airnews Magazine May 2020 Edition
P. 44
HELICOPTERS
THE HALF-PLANE,
HALF-HELICOPTER
By Thomas Pallini
ertical take-off and land aircraft
V have proven to be the future of
urban air mobility with companies like Uber
and Blade offering intra-city helicopter
flights that minimize commute times and
maximize convenience.
While helicopters are the primary form of
transport for urban air mobility, one company
is on the verge of receiving certification for
a never-before-seen type of civilian aircraft
that now only has the capability of upending
the mode of transportation altogether.
Italian aerospace and defence manufactur-
er Leonardo Company, whose products in-
clude the iconic AgustaWestland helicopters,
is nearing the end of the certification process
for its AW609 tilt rotor aircraft. The first
commercial aircraft of its kind, the AW609
takes technology currently found on military
aircraft with no widespread civilian use.
The AW609 merges the best features of a
helicopter and airplane. The vertical take- The aircraft's rotors can be adjusted for air mobility in the way that the famed Con-
off and land capabilities enable the aircraft vertical take-off and land capabilities to access corde reshaped transatlantic travel, giving
to land at heliports close to downtown heliports in even the most congested or com- airline shuttles and high-speed rails a run
areas such as in New York City and Wash- plex airspace such as New York or Washington. for their money.
ington, DC or on top of buildings where The larger V-22 Osprey has proven that Powering the aircraft are two massive,
allowed. Once airborne, the AW609 can tilt rotors can land on current helipads in rotatable Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-
transform into a standard airplane by ad- Lower Manhattan as seen when the presi- 67A engines.
justing the direction of its rotors and travel dent and his fleet of helicopters and VTOLs Capable of speeds over 300 miles per
at greater speeds and higher altitudes than come to New York City. hour, the AW609 can fly its maximum
a helicopter. US Marine Corps V-22 Osprey's supporting distance of 700 nautical miles in around 2
Offering the best of each type of aircraft in the president's travel frequently land at the hours and 30 minutes, test runs have shown.
terms of range, versatility, and capacity gives Wall St. Heliport, an 11-minute walk from Though slower than a traditional jetliner
the AW609 an advantage unmatched by even the New York Stock Exchange, setting the on longer flights, the aircraft makes up for
the swiftest helicopter or nimblest airplane. stage for intercity VTOL travel. it by offering the convenience factor of
Take a look at the future of urban air mo- A nimble and compact sibling of the V-22, departing from and arriving into the heart
bility. Tilt rotor aircraft have been primarily the AW609 is similarly capable of the task of any city as opposed to a distant airport.
associated with the military, specifically meaning that executives can avoid the trip The aircraft also has advantages over
with the V-22 Osprey in service with the to Teterboro, LaGuardia, or JFK airports and traditional helicopters that include de-ic-
US military. head to the heliport instead for travel up ing capabilities and pressurization that
While the military version of the aircraft and down the East Coast. allow for a flight in the upper altitudes
was being developed, ideas for a commer- After departing vertically from a heliport, above the weather.
cial variant were also in the world with Bell the AW609 can adjust its rotors to fly like Unlike most corporate jets, the AW609
and Boeing jointly starting the project just a normal airplane at altitudes as high as can fly under visual flight rules when
before the turn of the century. 25,000 feet with a normal range of around weather permits that allow for more direct
The project eventually was taken over by 700 nautical miles. routings and flexibility in flight planning
AgustaWestland, now known as Leonardo Cities pairs in that range include New An advanced avionics system also means
Helicopters, and given the designation of York-Chicago, Tokyo-Seoul, and San the aircraft can operate in poor weather
the AW609. Francisco-Seattle, with the aircraft capable conditions and on instrument flight plans
The AW609's first flight was in 2003, 14 of customization for an additional 300 for longer hauls.
years after the V-22. The nine-seat aircraft nautical miles. The AW609 is the latest in Leonardo He-
was designed smaller with a focus on ver- The possibility of connecting two down- licopters’ brand of AgustaWestland aircraft
satility and VIP transport, unlike the bulky towns via heliports with the speed of an that are used the world over in both civilian
combat-focused military variant. airplane has the ability to reshape urban and military settings. Q
World Airnews | May 2020
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