Bell/Urban Aeronautics « X-Hawk » demonstrator

[Matej]

New fan in fuselage aero-vehicle. Interesting. Especially M61A1 on the left of the fuselage...



http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15058459.htm

 

[Sentinel Chicken]

It appears to be some sort of flying jeep?

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Indeed, its basically a flying jeep.

Here's a brochure I picked up from Farnborough.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/ebooks/xhawk1.jpg
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/ebooks/xhawk2.jpg

 

[Sundog]

Wow,
I didn't know Bell was collaborating on this project, based on the what's new information at Urban Aero's website. I haven't looked into this project for about a year now.

Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk

Here's another cool looking "Flying Car" Type vehicle, although it's closer to the Moller design.

Skyrider X2R

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Bell are working with Urban Aeronautics to develop the project. In fact, Bell seem to be experiencing something of a resurgence at the moment. The MV-22 was by far the most impressive thing I saw at Farnborough 2006, whatever its troubled genesis.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

From the Bell X-Hawk display, taken with my digital camera. I've tried to correct, but there is some distortion.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

More from the Bell X-Hawk display at Farnborough 2006

 

[avatar]

new development
http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/OTHER%20NEWS/tata-advanced-sys-explore-opportunityurban-aeronautic/16/21/326511

 

[VTOLicious]

Still no X-Hawk. But at least the unmanned AirMule makes some progress:

http://www.tactical-robotics.com/category/2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s94JDmwlZZo

 

[yasotay]

Alas I think X-Hawk is dead. Bell, it seems, has no interest in the program any more.

 

[Stargazer]

Alas I think X-Hawk is dead. Bell, it seems, has no interest in the program any more.

This prompts the following question: When Bell relinquished all civilian VTOL activity to Agusta-Westland, did it also involve X-Hawk? Or was it only about tilt-rotor technology?

 

[yasotay]

[font=]I think "relinquished all civilian VTOL" is an overstatement. Bell is certainly still aggressively in the civil sector (witness 525). As far as I know the only project that Bell has sold off is the 609 program. This does not preclude Bell from doing more civil tilt-rotor work. [/font]

 

[turboshaft]

Bell bailed out of the X-Hawk program two years before the sale of its BA609 stake to AgustaWestland.

Then-CEO Dick Millman stated at the time, "How embarrassing...That was a mistake. Built before I got here. I wish we’d never done it," adding that an enemy "could probably throw a couple of rocks at it and break it."

 

[Triton]

Source:
http://guidons.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html

July 18, 2006

Bell, Partner Look Into Future

They hope to lure contract to develop flying personnel carrier
By Richard Whittle, The Dallas Morning News

FARNBOROUGH, England – Batman might be jealous if he saw a futuristic concept for a flying armored personnel carrier that Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. and an Israeli partner unveiled Monday.

Bell and Israel's Urban Aerospace are seeking a $500,000 contract from the Office of Naval Research to develop the X-Hawk, a scale model of which was displayed at the Farnborough International Airshow.

The X-Hawk can take off and land vertically like a helicopter, but without the exposed rotors that can make it difficult or impossible for a traditional chopper to operate around buildings or power lines.

Bell and its partner envision selling it for Special Weapons and Tactics teams, special operations troops and rescue squads, who could use it to get to problems fast and enter high-rise buildings from windows high above ground.

It's sort of a flying Humvee, but more streamlined.

Aerospace engineer Rafi Yoeli, president and chief executive of Urban Aeronautics, admitted that the X-Hawk's gee-whiz exterior has been a hindrance during the five years he's been working on it.

"People were thinking, 'Oh, come on, the Jetsons again,' " Mr. Yoeli said.

 

[Triton]

Uploaded on May 3, 2008

Bell Helicopter's XworX produced this video of a proposed military version of the X-Hawk "Fancraft" ducted-fan VTOL aircraft being developed by Israel company Urban Aeronautics.

http://youtu.be/mQ29EsS8w5s

 

[Triton]

http://youtu.be/qFR3j61mc_Y

 

[Triton]

Uploaded on Jul 26, 2006

A video of the Bell X-Hawk prototype at the Farnborough Airshow 2006.

http://youtu.be/r23Iq3cLnVw

 

[Triton]

Artist's impression of Bell/Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk emergency vehicle.

Drawing showing Bell/Urban Aeronautics X-Hawk seating arrangement.


Source:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287752&page=630
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/31/commence-holding-breath-x-hawk-flying-car-could-be-here-by-2010/
http://www.aircraftcompare.com/aircraftimage/Urban-X-Hawk-Photo-4/2061

 

[Triton]

Uploaded on Sep 8, 2007

www.Israel-Times.com - Urban Aero in Israel created the 1st flying car. First prototype should be ready in 2009.

UrbanAero's long-range vision is to become the world leader in intra-urban aviation and to develop, manufacture and market a family of revolutionary, FAA certifiable and military urban aerial aircraft. The first commercial version and current focus of the company is the X-Hawk modular utility aircraft.

http://youtu.be/Qh2azCoccJc

 

[Stargazer]

I think "relinquished all civilian VTOL" is an overstatement. Bell is certainly still aggressively in the civil sector (witness 525). As far as I know the only project that Bell has sold off is the 609 program. This does not preclude Bell from doing more civil tilt-rotor work.

Since when is the Bell 525 a "VTOL" type? (unless you count all helicopters as VTOL, which they are, technically...) I was talking of VTOL aircraft EXCLUDING helicopters. And the assertion is not of my invention, it was something that was published at the time (and probably even posted on this very forum), clearly indicating that Bell pursued the V-22 and other VTOL aircraft efforts for the military market but gave up on the civilian side of things (which the BA609 was part of).

Then-CEO Dick Millman stated at the time, "How embarrassing...That was a mistake. Built before I got here. I wish we’d never done it," adding that an enemy "could probably throw a couple of rocks at it and break it."

What an idiotic statement! Doubly idiotic in fact: first of all Bell didn't "do" the X-Hawk, in the sense that the project was pretty advanced when they decided to take it over and pass it off as a Bell design... and also because when he talks about "an enemy" he is clearly missing the point about the type's great potential in other fields than military (not to mention the fact that his remark about throwing stones shows obvious disdain and lack of respect for the work of all the engineers and designers who certainly had a better perspective on the design's potential than him). The design was not faulty, it was the lack of support from top executive morons like this which killed the program before it got any chance to prove its value.

 

[kcran567]

Would stub wings enhance cruise performance and lift?

 

[Sundog]

Would stub wings enhance cruise performance and lift?

They might, depending on how big they are and the cruise speed of the vehicle. However, they would defeat the purpose of the design, which is the ability to maneuver in urban environments.

 

[yasotay]

Stargazer, My apologies if I overstated.

While I doubt as much as anyone right now that Bell is actively in pursuit of civil tilt rotor technology, I cannot imagine them conceding the future civil market to Sikorsky (X2), nor Airbus (X3), if they bring their technologies to fruition. If longer range, high speed rotorcraft become a market force, then I certainly believe Bell will relook its options for civil tilt rotor. Right now they are sitting back and letting the USMC demonstrate the value of long range high speed VTOL.
I suspect Millman's comments were intended more to cut away from the "wild side" that his predecessor had taken with Bell. Textron is not known for being wild side types. Likely a policy statement for nervous shareholders.
Just because Bell walked away, does not mean that there is no interest in the technology within the US. There are some who continue to watch the program with interest.

 

[VTOLicious]

Still no X-Hawk. But at least the unmanned AirMule makes some progress:

http://www.tactical-robotics.com/category/2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s94JDmwlZZo

Slow but steady progress - First untethered test flight of AirMule:

http://www.tactical-robotics.com/category/2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwkdTuA2MHs

 

[yasotay]

Great to see progress continuing with this VTOL platform.