Airbus Helicopters reveal ‘Racer’

Airbus Helicopters has unveiled the aerodynamic configuration of the high speed demonstrator it is developing as part of the Clean Sky 2 European research programme. Called the Racer, for ‘Rapid And Cost-Effective Rotorcraft’, this demonstrator will incorporate a host of innovative features and will be optimised for a cruise speed of more than 400 km/h, achieving the best trade-off between speed, cost-efficiency, sustainability and mission performance. Final assembly of the demonstrator is expected to start in 2019, with its first flight the next year.