European Joint Tiltrotor proposals

[Antonio]

AW&ST January 24,2000 by Michael A. Taverna

Eurocopter/Westland/Agusta Tiltrotor in the 10 ton 20-25 passenger class (significantly larger than the Bell Agusta 609). A flying demonstrator was planned to be flying by 2005-2006.

The European Joint Tiltrotor will benefit from earlier design efforts:

Eurocopter Eurotilt (derived from earlier Eurofar design)

Agusta Erica

Compound helicopter devised by GKN Westland ( I have no pics from it altough I have the following references if anybody can help; AW&ST July 12, 1999 p.23 and Feb 22.1999, p.47)

 

[rousseau]

unlike that TW68, the Eurofar's wing seem to be not deflected for VTOL

 

[hesham]

Hi,

the Eurofar had no T-tail in 1988.


http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1988/1988%20-%201337.html?search=Eurofar%20aircraft

 

[yasotay]

Does Europe still have a Tilt Rotor project, beyond the BA-609?

 

[Jemiba]

AFAIK, no ! There was the 2GETHER proposal, as a joint development by Eurocopter
and Agusta, the name meaning "2nd Generation European Tilting Highly Efficient Rotorcraft",
but this project ws axed to a lack of sufficient funding.

 

[JAZZ]

Before they cancalled Eurofar, the had done some work on a demonstrator - never seen line drawings for it, but have this photo

 

[Jemiba]

Interesting detail of EUROFAR was, that the nacelles were only partially
tiltable, contrary to most other tilt rotors.

 

[hesham]

Anther Europe tilt rotor aircraft;


http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/02/15/221572/civil-rotorcraft-special-europe-advances-green-helicopter.html

 

[Just call me Ray]

I've said this over at What-If but I'll be darned if that Erica doesn't just look like an Mu-2 with tilt-rotors (but then again the Mu-2 was darn aerodynamic)

 

[RavenOne]

Talk to Professor Gareth Padfield at Liverpool University or visit the Flight Sciences dept web there

http://pcwww.liv.ac.uk/eweb/fst/act-tilt/FST_ACT-TILT.htm

 

[luedo34]

By the way, does anynone happen to know what >>Erica<< stands for? Is it some sort of abbreviation? European....?? I haven´t got the faintest idea what it could mean.

 

[Matej]

Enhanced Rotorcraft Innovative Concept Achievement

 

[luedo34]

That was quick, thanks.
Nevertheless, weird name I think. ;D

 

[Just call me Ray]

Nah, I think it's a perfect name! Everyone knows all aircraft are female by default and if you're gonna slap on some nose art right there half the job's already done for you

 

[weirc]

Intersting page about construction of a wind tunnel model of the erica tilt-rotor. The pdf mentioned at the bottom of the page is worth down loading.

http://www.crptechnology.com/sito/en/1-8-scale-wind-tunnel-model-of-the-european-tiltrotor.html

Colin

 

[Triton]

European Future Advanced Rotorcraft (EUROFAR)

Specifications for the previously shown drawing of EUROFAR.

General Characteristics

Type: Twin-turboshaft tilt-rotor transport

Design features: High carbonfibre wing with partially tilting nacelles (stationary engines); T-tail; circular pressurized fuselage with APU; tricycle landing gear.

Flying controls: Quadraplex fly-by-wire electronic controls.

Power plant: Two 3,200 kW (4,290 shp) max continuous power class turboshafts (modified PW300 foreseen).

Accommodation: 30 passengers, three-abreast seating with overhead stowage, toilet, galley.

Dimensions (external)
Wing span between rotor centres: 14.66 m (48 ft 1.25 in)
Rotor diameter, each: 11.21 m (26 ft 9.25 in)
Length overall: 20.41 m (66 ft 11.5 in)
Fuselage lenghth: 19.40 m (63 ft 7.75 in)
Diameter: 2.48 m (8 ft 1.5 in)
Height overall: 6.645 m (21 ft 9.5 in)

Dimensions (internal)
Max height in aisle: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Max width a shoulder level seated 2.23m (7 ft 3.75 in)
Width of aisle: 0.46 m (1 ft 6 in)
Seat width between armrests: 0.43 m (1 ft 5 in)
Seat pitch: 0/83 m (2 ft 8.75 in)
Height at seat level: 1.40 to 1.50 m (4 ft 7 in to 4 ft 11 in)

Weights and loadings
Max vertical T-O weight (Category A): 13,650 kg (30,093 lb)
Power/weight ration (nominal): 2.13 kg/kW (6.57 lb/shp)

Performance
Max level speed: 334 knots (620 km/h; 385 mph)
Cruising speed: 302-313 knots (560-580 km/h; 348-360 mph)
Cruising altitude: 7,500 m (24,600 ft)
Hovering ceiling OGE, ISA at max VTO weight: 3,000 m (9,840 ft)
Range with 30 passengers, IFR reserves: 782 nm (1,450 km; 900 miles)

Source: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1992-93 edited by Mark Lambert

 

[Triton]

Italian V/STOL Concepts of the Twentieth Century by Michael J. Hirschberg, Thomas Müller, Erasmo Piñero from the American Helicopter Society (AHS) International website.
http://www.vtol.org/pdf/stov59.pdf

 

[Triton]

Eurocopter EUROTILT

10 metric ton (22,000 lb) class, seating 12 to 19 passengers, with a range of 750 nm (1400 km) at
more than 330 kt (610 km/hr)

 

[Triton]

AgustaWestland ERICA

General Characteristcs

Engines: 2 x P&WC PW127E turboshaft
Power: 2x 2,400 shp (2x 1800 kW)
Passengers (VTOL): 19 + 2 crew
Passengers (STOL): 22 + 2 crew
Wingspan: 46 ft (14 m)
Length: 50 ft (15.2 m)
Height: 19.7 ft (6 m)
Fuselage Diameter: 9 ft (2.7 m)
Proprotor Diameter: 24 ft (7.4 m)
Max VTOL Useful Load: 4,189 lb (1,900 kg)
Max STOL Useful Load: 4,840 lb (2,200 kg)
VTOL Gross Weight: 22,000 lb (10,000 kg)
STOL Gross Weight: 24,200 lb (11,000 kg)
Empty Weight: 14,300 lb (6,500 kg)
Fuel Weight (VTOL): 3080 lb (1,400 kg)
Fuel Weight (STOL): 4,400 lb (2,000 kg)
Range: 650 nm (1,200 km)
Cruise altitude: 24,600 ft (7,500 m)
Vmax (at cruise): 350 kt (650 km/h)

Rendering of AugustaWestland ERICA tilt-rotor in transition.

Line drawing of AugustaWestland ERICA

 

[Matej]

Note that the project moved from the tilting half-nacelles to the tilting half-wing.

NICETRIP (Novel Innovative Competitive Effective Tilt Rotor Integrated Project) http://nicetrip.onera.fr/

 

[toura]

In the same way we have the Eurofar project
(1982-85)

 

[Triton]

Wind tunnel model of AugustaWestland ERICA (Enhanced Rotor Craft Innovative Achievement) in 1/8th scale.

Artist's impression of transition from airplane mode to hover mode.


Source:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/aviation_week/on_space_and_technology/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckPostId=Blog%3Aa68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9cPost%3A1684ac12-21e1-4674-8520-8a4dc7e6bdc7&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[hesham]

The Eurofar variants,included naval version;


http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a277806.pdf

 

[Antonio]

very interesting contribution!

Thanks a lot Hesham.

 

[hesham]

The Eurofar variants,included naval version;


http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a277806.pdf

After we spoke about Eurofar variants,here is early drawing to it.


http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%201178.html

 

[hesham]

The ERICA;


http://wp.nlr.nl/en/2010/04/28/nlr-delivers-densely-instrumented-research-model-for-wind-tunnel-testing-of-tiltrotortiltwing-aircraft/

 

[hesham]

Hi,

the Eurofar had no T-tail in 1988.


http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1988/1988%20-%201337.html?search=Eurofar%20aircraft

Also from Kryl'ya Rodine 8/1988.

 

[hesham]

the Eurofar had no T-tail in 1988.

http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1988/1988 - 1337.html?search=Eurofar aircraft

Again from L+K 7/1988.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

https://trimis.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/project/documents/20121026_104409_61291_Aerodays_2011.pdf

 

[ZacYates]

I recently uploaded my VHS recorded from TV of Farnborough 88, and there is a brief glimpse of a large-scale EUROFAR model near the end:

 

[hesham]

From L+K 1997-23.

 

[riggerrob]

Anther Europe tilt rotor aircraft;


http://www.flightglobal.com/article...special-europe-advances-green-helicopter.html

Amusing how this version has the wing almost "pylon" mounted above the fuselage????? Designers were probably trying to minimize interference drag by mounting the wing farther above the fuselage.
In comparison, most other high wing, military transports use rectangular "boxes" to fair wings onto a cylindrical fuselage.

 

[TomcatViP]

It's probably to save head space into the fuselage.
Traversing wing spars (cantilever) reduces usually the available height inside the cabin at the wing/fuselage junction.
Notice that most modern business jets have the wing similarly mounted beneath the fuselage.

 

[hesham]

From Aviation magazine 1987.

 

[hesham]

From Aviationa magazine 1988.

 

[hesham]

From Aviation magazine 1991.

 

[hesham]

From Lotnictwo 1991-11/12,

who can collect the two pieces ?.

 

[Antonio]

who can collect the two pieces ?.

done

 

[RavenOne]

Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor takes shape as milestone approaching for AW609

Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor takes shape as Leonardo eyes first flight milestone

Leonardo Helicopters is close to completing the final assembly of its Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NGCTR), as it prepares the demonstrator for a maiden sortie before the summer.

www.flightglobal.com

cheers

 

[Archibald]

Why is AW.609 development taking that huge amount of time ? It has been 20 years or even more. Is the project even alive ?