FAST APPROACHES AND HOVERS

Given sophisticated anti-aircraft threats, the US Army reckons its FLRAA aircraft will need to fly fast and low, figuratively slamming on the brakes as late as possible to slow to a hover or touch down in a hot landing zone (LZ).

Ryan says the V-280’s deceleration is almost more impressive than its acceleration. ‘This thing will slow down like crazy from above 200 knots.’

In flight testing, Bell has decelerated the Valor to a hover from 220 knots (408 km/h) in 45 seconds. The aircraft can slow so rapidly that Bell actually limits its rotor-tilt rate to prevent structural damage. McGuinness adds that you can think of the V-280 as tilting its proprotors or tilting its fuselage. This provides a great view of the hover or landing spot.

The V-280 is also much smoother than a helicopter in a hover, says McGuinness, and it can rotate and yaw with the best of them. ‘There were a lot of naysayers for the V-22, saying that tilt-rotors couldn’t handle in low speed regimes … it handles great.’

According to Sikorsky-Boeing, simulations have shown the SB-1 can slow from 200 knots (370 km/h) to a hover in a half-mile while remaining largely nose-level. ‘The deceleration capability you get from the pusher-prop is uncanny,’ Fell says. ‘When you decrease pitch or even dial in negative pitch on that prop, you really feel your shoulder straps grab you as you lunge forwards from slowing down.’

Hovering is also a piece of cake in the Defiant, Henderscheid says: ‘Because the SB-1 had to have the power to go fast, it doesn’t even break a sweat to hover.’ It can also rotate at up to 30° per second.

‘If you’ve ever been in a helicopter, that’s an eye-watering yaw rate.’

'AT SOME POINT, YOU FEEL THRUST FROM THE PUSHER-PROP KICK IN. IT'S LIKE A TURBO IN A CAR. THAT'S A CUE TO THE PILOT TO PULL THE NOSE UP AND FLY IT LIKE AN AEROPLANE.'