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Sikorsky's X2 Technology demonstrator conducted a successful
ground test in November 2006. The X2 Demonstrator is scheduled
to take flight in 2007. Jeffery Pino Sikorsky Aircraft President
considers this new technology is one the major pillars for the
company's future growth.
He also noted that Sikorsky's recent announcements regarding
strategic business relationships in the Mid-east, Europe, and
Asia underscore its objective of bolstering its leadership position
in the global aerospace market. "Thanks to the support
of our customers worldwide, we are on track to double our revenues
for the 2003 - 2008 timeframe, and given the projected strength
in the military, commercial, and service and support markets,
we expect this growth to continue. The number of products we
have in production has grown from just three in 2000 to 10 today,
with another six active development programs in work. Sikorsky
Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX),
had $3.2 billion in revenues in 2006.
Sikorsky's X2 refers to an integrated suite of technologies
that improve the performance of coaxial helicopters, resulting
in a new generation of helicopters that will be able to fly
at up to twice the speed of current helicopters, while retaining
all the desirable flying qualities of a helicopter at low speed,
without any in-flight configuration transition. This suite of
technologies includes advanced blade technologies to significantly
increase lift without increasing drag, fly by wire, active vibration
control, advanced hub drag reduction, and an integrated propulsion
system that intelligently controls the power shared by the aft
propulsor and the main rotor. The main X shaped coaxial rotor
will be slowed during high speed flight to keep the rotor tips
below supersonic speeds.
X2 Technology can also be applied to conventional speed coaxial
helicopters without auxiliary propulsion, enabling even greater
lift and hover efficiency.
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