The Airbus RACER helicopter has successfully completed its first flight. This demonstrator took off from Marignane, France and flew for about 30-minutes, which was plenty of time for the flight test team to check the overall behavior of the aircraft.
RACER is optimized for a cruise speed of more than 248.5 mph (400 km/h), as it aims to achieve the best trade-off between speed, cost-efficiency, and mission performance. The helicopter targets a fuel consumption reduction of approximately 20% when compared to current generation helicopters of the same class. It will achieve this through aerodynamic optimization and an innovative eco-mode propulsion system. The hybrid-electrical eco-mode system, developed with Safran Helicopter Engines, allows one of the two Aneto-1X engines to be paused while in cruise flight, thus contributing to cutting CO2 emissions.
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With its 90 patents, Racer is the perfect example of the level of innovation that can be achieved when European partners come together. This first flight is a proud moment for Airbus Helicopters and for our 40 partners in 13 countries. I look forward to watching this demonstrator pioneer high speed capabilities and develop the eco-mode system that will contribute to reducing fuel consumption,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.
