Sikorsky X2 is retired after final flight

Sikorsky has announced the final flight of
the X2 technology demonstrator. The final flight was an early morning flight
conducted from the company’s new Sikorsky
Innovations Center
within its Development
Flight Center,
the X2 Technology demonstrator gave invited guests one last look at its
technology in flight before officially being retired and transitioning to its
first application, the S-97 Raider.

It was the twenty-third test flight of the
X2 aircraft, which flew approximately 22 total hours and achieved a maximum
cruise speed of 253 knots in level flight at its peak point in the program.
That milestone, an unofficial speed record for a conventional helicopter was
achieved on 15 September 2010.

“This flight is the culmination of a
five-year, internally funded program to expand the operational envelope of
helicopters,” said Sikorsky president Jeffrey Pino. “The results of this
program speak to the success of a rapid prototyping environment, where a small
empowered team was able to meet a specific number of very challenging goals. We
met these within a small budget and a compressed schedule.

“The X2 program also has helped to develop
the next generation of Sikorsky engineers, including some who are now in key
positions on the S-97 Raider program and the Firefly electric helicopter
program. Today, the entire Sikorsky workforce stands proud of this
accomplishment and what it means for the future of rotorcraft aviation,” Pino
said.