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Sikorsky Develops Prototype Electric Helicopter
EV World ^ | Friday, July 23, 2010 | ???

Posted on 07/25/2010 1:30:21 PM PDT by Willie Green

SYNOPSIS: Firefly will be displayed at AirVenture conference, along with up to nine other electric aircraft prototypes.

Sikorsky Aircraft Co. in Stratford says it will unveil Firefly -- the company's first prototype electric helicopter -- on Monday at the AirVenture exhibition in Oshkosh, Wis.

The Sikorsky Innovations team on Project Firefly removed the propulsion system from an S-300C helicopter and replaced it with a high-efficiency, electric motor and digital controller, along with a lithium ion battery system.

Firefly features an all-electric drive system, a safe and efficient high-density storage system, automated monitoring and alert technologies, and next generation cockpit displays, according to a Sikorsky press release.

The 200-horsepower motor increases the aircraft's energy efficiency by 300 percent, Sikorsky says.

While the helicopter will debut Monday along with other electric-powered aircraft in the Aviation Learning Center in Oshkosh, the Firefly's first flight is not anticipated until later this year. Ground tests and safety of flight reviews must be complete in accordance with Sikorsky standards for all aircrafts.

"World fuel reserves are continuing to dwindle as demand increases. This inversion of the supply/demand cycle will increase operating costs of all fuel-based vehicles, especially in the aviation industry. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the commercial helicopter market, where the critical role rotorcraft play could be threatened by spiraling fuel costs," said Mark Miller, Vice President, Sikorsky Research & Engineering, in a statement.

Sikorsky is a division of United Technologies Corp. in Hartford.


TOPICS: UFO's
KEYWORDS:
Bad enough that we're going to have battery powered Obama-mobiles
but now they're gonna make battery helicopters and airplanes???

No thanks.... we need high-speed rail and maglev instead.

1 posted on 07/25/2010 1:30:22 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Willie Green

Transporter Room—Scotty beam me up!


2 posted on 07/25/2010 1:43:36 PM PDT by DCmarcher-976453 (SARAH PALIN 2012)
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To: Willie Green

Soundless attack helo. My mouth is watering. Now, if it could only kill in total silence ;).


3 posted on 07/25/2010 1:50:11 PM PDT by Hardraade (I want gigaton warheads now!!)
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To: Willie Green

Ok…then, the big lie and batteries.


4 posted on 07/25/2010 1:50:56 PM PDT by ntmxx (I am not so sure about this misdirection!)
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To: Willie Green

I’m all for electric vehicles, because everyone knows electricity doesn’t require any energy. /sarc


5 posted on 07/25/2010 2:14:52 PM PDT by Sender (It's never too late to be who you could have been.)
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To: Sender

Electric helicopters might make more sense than electric cars. An electric helo for short hops would work. But let’s not confuse that this would be long range or less costly.


6 posted on 07/25/2010 2:23:29 PM PDT by DaxtonBrown (HARRY: Money Mob & Influence (See my Expose on Reid on amazon.com written by me!))
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To: Willie Green

Really difficult to believe this is practical. Bet it doesn’t have much power or range.


7 posted on 07/25/2010 3:49:11 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Willie Green

This thing will amount to nothing other than being a toy for someone. It won’t be able to handle much of a load.

I’d say that it could be used for black ops as it would be more quiet, but that is probably 20 years away. It might have a future as a hybrid.


8 posted on 07/25/2010 6:48:00 PM PDT by llano2
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