Bell Helicopter FCX-001

[Triton]

What is the Safety and Mission Officer actually controlling through the augmented reality controls of the FCX-001? Is there a virtual cyclic stick, collective lever, and anti-torque pedals that can be controlled through augmented reality? Or does artificial intelligence/automation element traditional helicopter flight controls? Why did the design team use an augmented reality interface rather than the Bell 525 Relentless fly-by-wire control system coupled with the massive touchscreen avionics interface concept from the V-280 Valor that integrates night vision and synthetic vision?

https://youtu.be/5NgFpIZ9cCE

Also are we going to see technologies that are part of the JMR/FVL program trickle-down to civilian rotorcraft? Synthetic Vision/Distributed Aperture System (DAS) technology making its way to civilian rotorcraft?

 

[Reaper]

Yes you are right Yasotay about the message, but did they need to make it so ugly?

 

[yasotay]

Yes you are right Yasotay about the message, but did they need to make it so ugly?

Agree. I would have preferred a more rounded finish. Looks like an unfinished lamp. And the vertical stabilizer looks like a last minute glue on. Sleek with an inverted v-tail. Of course then they would be accused of using the old MD Helicopter design that led to the 800 series.

 

[Triton]

Yes you are right Yasotay about the message, but did they need to make it so ugly?

Agree. I would have preferred a more rounded finish. Looks like an unfinished lamp. And the vertical stabilizer looks like a last minute glue on. Sleek with an inverted v-tail. Of course then they would be accused of using the old MD Helicopter design that led to the 800 series.

I'm not sure how you retain the Bell Helicopter design queues while at the same time sending the message that the organization is moving away from its culture of conservatism to one of innovation. Even the V-280 Valor design reflects its Bell Helicopter ancestry. I guess the design team could have started with the 430 design and evolved it into the FCX-001, but the message of innovation would have been lost. To me, the Airbus Helicopters H160 looks like a slight update of the Airbus Helicopters H155 (Dauphin 2) design. The original Eurocopter X4 design concepts were much more innovative looking than the production H160.

 

[Jemiba]

The shape of the fuselage somehow cries out "stealth" ! Well, maybe just fancy ..
And if the main landing gear isn't just artistic license, I would think of an integrated
propulsion for moving on the ground.

 

[Foo Fighter]

Only space for ONE pilot?

 

[Grey Havoc]

Only space for ONE pilot?

The onboard A.I. system is supposed to be the second pilot.

 

[DWG]

They should combine the controls with a Theremin to provide acoustic feedback...

Oh, applause!

Personal thoughts:

I think this may be the first time we've seen stealth shaping as solely a design aesthetic.
Augmented reality is all very well, but, as recent news shows, you need a reversionary display for when the battery in your posh eyephones decides to burst into flames.
I'd prefer control inceptors my hands don't try to slip off under g-loading.
Solely single pilot control may get them into issues in some certification regimes.

 

[ADVANCEDBOY]

I applaud the effort but the actual design would fit better as a prop for a b-rated movie. I thought Bell would have a better filtering system as to what actually pulls through their R&D. If Comanche could get 9.6 from me designwise then this one could get 6.5, not more.

 

[Hood]

Full scale concept aircraft are pretty rare for the modern aeronautical industry but the automotive industry spends a fortune on designing and making one-off concept cars. Some are designer's fantasies, some showcase new technology, some hint at future production models and some even get built if they harness enough emotive energy from the audience.
Bell is doing the same thing, showcasing what they can and what the future possibly looks like using what's under development now. What might finally emerge might be more conservative in style (all concepts are 'showy' to grab attention) but Bell has certainly raised its profile and produced an interesting showcase. I've no doubt many of the technical aspects will come to fruition on future projects.

As to Bell being too conservative, I've always thought the helicopter manufacturers and the market they serve have been conservative, favouring reliability and economy over flashy design aesthetics. The consistently gloomy market sales predictions and the coverage given to events like the North Sea Super Puma incidents seem to bear this out.

 

[ZacYates]

I'm not sure how you retain the Bell Helicopter design queues while at the same time sending the message that the organization is moving away from its culture of conservatism to one of innovation.

I've said it before and will say it again: I don't look at the FCX-001 and think "Bell". Not at all. I just don't see it!

I for one quite like it - the "stealth aesthetic". Definitely reminiscent of the Comanche and some of the other LHX concepts.

 

[fredymac]

The distributed electric thrust tail mechanism is scheduled for testing this summer. A video game level depiction of the virtual cockpit shows up at the 1:28 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCK6W7OgvkE

 

[hesham]

From Aviation Week;