"could render the helicopter obsolete"

[Dan Reno]

New type of aircraft flies like a UFO (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2739937/posts)
tgdaily ^ (http://www.freerepublic.com/%5Ehttp://www.tgdaily.com/hardware-features/56778-new-type-of-aircraft-flies-like-a-ufo)| Jun 22nd 2011 | Emma Woollacott

Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2011 7:17:31 PM by JoeProBono (http://www.freerepublic.com/~joeprobono/)

Austrian research firm IAT21 has unveiled a radically new type of aircraft that could render the helicopter obsolete.D-Dalus can 'approach as gently and silently as a hot air balloon', say its developers, hover, rotate in any direction and fly as fast as a jet.
Unlike VTOL aircraft or helicopters, it can easily cope with poor weather or the lurching deck of a ship.
The propulsion system consists essentially of four sets of contra-rotating disks, each driven at 2,200 rpm by a conventional aero-engine. The disks are surrounded by blades whose angle of attack can be altered using servos, allowing thrust in any direction.
This allows it to launch vertically, hover in a fixed position in the air and travel or rotate in any direction. It can even 'glue' itself to the deck of a ship by thrusting upwards.
Apparently, it's easier to fly than a helicopter, with a simple joystick control, and can be repaired by your average car mechanic. because there are no external moving parts such as rotor blades, it has 360 degree vision. A sense-and avoid system means it can fly through small spaces or hover right next to a rock face or wall.
Initially, the designers say they expect the propulsion system to be used for robot drones in search and rescue missions and the like.
But, they add, in trials it looks as if larger versions are actually more efficient and less complex, meaning there's no reason why it couldn't be used in passenger aircraft.
They also envisage it being used as a hovering platform to load and unload ships. Right now, the biggest version can only lift a payload of 70kg, although IAT21 is now working with the UK's Cranfield University on a larger, more powerful version.
http://www.tgdaily.com/sites/default/files/stock/450teaser/aviation/d_dalus.jpg
New type of aircraft flies like a UFO | TG Daily (http://www.tgdaily.com/hardware-features/56778-new-type-of-aircraft-flies-like-a-ufo)

[AdamFrisch]

And what happens when the engine quits the article fails to say.

This type of arrangement of blades is common on bow thrusters for big ships. They can move the vessel in any direction. But I can't see them being very efficient and I certainly can't see them autorotate.

[TRC]

....can 'approach as gently and silently as a hot air balloon'

That'll be the type of hot air balloon powered with the same ..

...four sets of contra-rotating disks, each driven at 2,200 rpm by a conventional aero-engine

[OvertHawk]

And when the crew has dropped the last IAT21 off at the junkyard for retirement, they'll probably fly home in an S61! :ok:

I won't be shredding my Helicopter licence and doing the Nintendo course on the strength of this article.

It is interesting though.
OH

[topendtorque]

It seems a remarkable picture or - artists impression - or something. When magnified the appendage below may imitate some type of rotex type engine, err a toy, and where the four turbine are remains a mystery.

It looks like a cable layer that four grunts would run along with for on field telephone comms.

Where is Dave Jackson, has he had something to do with this turnout?

[Elledan]

They didn't demonstrate this prototype flying at the airshow either, so it probably isn't quite usable at this stage. Maybe it'll be nice for UAV purposes, though, who knows. Those ducted turbine UAV designs aren't very elegant either :)

[Guido Krane]

BRAVO :Dwhoever comes out with this innovative flying platforms always fail to respond to the simpliest answer: what happens when the engine fails?
do you come down as a rock? do you have a balistic chute to lessen the impact?
Aero car, flying platform, jet packs, "silent machines"
NO ONE CAN AUTOROTATE, I think I'll stick to the old school of haveing a noisy and vibrating helicopter around me, maybe twinengine but still with a free-wheel and the chance to direct the impact to the area of my choice in autorotation.:ugh::=

[Guido Krane]

everyone applaude to the idea and are very excited, non one has seen one of this THING fly yet.
let's see
the most of innovation i can approve is emergency floats in the chopper

[Woolf]

... just don't fly to close to the sun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daedalus#Daedalus_and_Icarus)!!!!