Sikorsky S-97 RAIDER Helicopter due to be rolled out tomorrow (video link inside)

raider.sikorsky.com ^

[RoosterRedux]

Roll out ceremony 10/2/2014

Sikorsky S-97 RAIDER

Video Link - Sikorsky - S-97 Raider X2 Technology Family Of Helicopters SAR & Combat Simulation

[RoosterRedux]

The game-changing RAIDER aircraft is based on Sikorsky’s Collier Award-winning X2 Technology™ Demonstrator “for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.”

On September 15, 2010, the X2 Technology™ Demonstrator unofficially broke the rotorcraft speed record by travelling in excess of 250kts.

X2 Technology™ delivers excellent low speed helicopter capabilities with no configuration change to enable high speed flight

[Mastador1]

It’s nice, but it’s no Airwolf. Que the music, you know you hear it in your head.

[hawkaw]

Wow. That is one interesting machine. Thanks for the link.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Go Raiders!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdxfDq6MlOQ

[IYAS9YAS]

It’s nice, but it’s no Airwolf. Que the music, you know you hear it in your head.

Trying to, but all I get is "A-Team".

[wally_bert]

If they could work out the apparently nearly endless fuel and ordnance stores that airwolf could carry, that would be really cool.

At the end of the pilot, Hawke emptied the guns on Dr. Moffat, however.

I have the 2 disc import set of the airwolf soundtrack and it makes for good interstate cruising music.

[Spktyr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLFqeXm_5X4

You’re welcome.

[gaijin]

Later

[Mastador1]

Trying to, but all I get is "A-Team".

Which triggers Mission Impossible, Man From Uncle, The Six Million Dollar Man, help me I'm stuck in the land of TV theme songs!

[Little Ray]

Given its name, Raider, and its designation, S-97, it doesn’t look like they actually have a US customer yet. Otherwise it would have an “H” designation (AH, UH, etc.) and be named after an Indian tribe.
Great airplane, but good luck selling it.

[Mastador1]

If they could work out the apparently nearly endless fuel and ordnance stores that airwolf could carry, that would be really cool.

Don't forget being able to disengage the rotors and basically become a fighter jet.

[Spktyr]

It was going to be offered as a candidate in the Armed Aerial Scout competition for the US Army. The AAS program has now been cancelled, but the Future Vertical Lift project is still underway and the S-97 may get bought in under that instead. The FVL program is likely to demand off the shelf craft where possible, and the S-97 is likely to be the quietest and fastest by a large margin.

[IYAS9YAS]

You’re welcome.

Thanks! Not as catchy as the others from my youth in the late 70s/early 80s. Never really watched Airwolf for some reason. Maybe something my folks watched that was on at the same time - before we owned a VCR.

Loved the VTOL-capable F-5/Mig-28 ;-)

[Spktyr]

That was based on real tech under development at the time. Sadly, it didn’t go anywhere as the program was cancelled before the prototype could fly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_S-72

[SJSAMPLE]

Either it was here or on ar15.com, but one of the member’s fathers actually OWNED the real “Airwolf” helicopter for a time. All the prosthetics had been removed before it was returned to service.

[wally_bert]

I guess it would have to be some kind of clutch to allow disengaging on the fly. That would have to be something to stand up to that kind of stress.

Blue Thunder was a lot more believable for a movie and TV super vehicle.

Don’t forget street hawk, the Super cycle that was 300 mph capable and never seemed to have to hit a station for a fill up. Good theme though.

[wally_bert]

I vaguely remember it too from the later dumbed down episodes.

[tanknetter]

The S-92 started the same way, has been adopted as a lite alternative to the Eurocopter EH-101 (Merlin). The S-92 is going to be the platform for the next generation Marine One (Presidential flight) helos.

Sikorsky actually has a decent track record of achieving commercial success with company funded demonstrators/prototypes.

[tanknetter]

The Bell helo used for Airwolf ended up as an air ambulance over in Europe, and was sadly destroyed in a crash.