Airbus H160 helicopter
 

teaser #3 :

So it looks like Airbus has figured out that AW is on to a good thing with the 169 and this is their version of it?

The side view with the poor lighting looks quite a bit like the 169.

I'll turn the lights on...:ok:

http://www.modeltek.com/X4-1.jpg
http://www.modeltek.com/X4-2.jpg

Countermeasure for the pants down caused by this?http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace...land-aw169.jpg

H160 is the new name for the X4

skadi

Just another prettier looking lemon.

i have to say that it looks good, we will see how it performs and the cost, but i have to say it's the best looking new heli for some time.

fats

Airbus X4 - H160 today in Orlando
 

Was at front row during the unveiling of the X4 - officially named H160 and here are my pics,

Cheers

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psupk1zfla.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pse2aqm9mn.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psw1wzxejb.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pstr5utnit.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psx0sbfcmn.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pss8uo6bha.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...pszayazbqm.jpg

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psku0nylqe.jpg

beautiful, now, that is style!

as i said in the other thread, this is one good looking heli, would love to see the price tag on it, the shots taken show some nice design features.

fats

We waited for this secretive X4 project for many years. It's the investment Eurocopter / Airbus Helicopters has to make to fightback against successful models specially from Augusta West. Replacing the once dominant but now dated Dauphin.

While they rationalized innovations a few years back to get it in the air quicker, I guess it is now the most modern helicopter in the world and the others will respond.

http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com...liAvionics.jpg

https://www.aopa.org/-/media/Images/...otor_horiz.jpg

Lets hope it flies as good as it looks
 

I think this one will make the rest look dated for a while.

The competition (Agusta Westland, Sikorsky) saw it coming for years though.

So I would expect they have a responds..

http://aviationweek.com/site-files/a...elicopters.jpg

https://www.aopa.org/-/media/Images/...otor_horiz.jpg

We waited for this secretive X4 project for many years.

It's the investment Eurocopter / Airbus Helicopters has to make to fightback against successful models specially from Augusta West.

Replacing the once dominant but now dated Dauphin.

Airbus rationalized innovations a few years back to get it in the air quicker.

I guess at this stage it is the most modern helicopter in the world.


http://www.intelligent-aerospace.com...liAvionics.jpg

Is it FBW?


Also, a small point for the spotters/nerds, H160 seems to change the previous EC naming convention. '1' = civi, '6' = 6 tonnes but '0' = single engine. I would've expected it to be the H165.

Airbus H160 helicopter
 

Airbus have unveiled their helicopter termed as"AW139 Killer".Do you guys agree?Looks stunning to me!:ok:
Airbus Helicopters targets AW139 with new H160 - 3/3/2015 - Flight Global

No FBW.
and about the new naming, the "H generation" as they say, what a mess :ugh:

In that case, if there is no FBW, can it truly be considered next/new generation?

From AH point of view, it's a new generation.
But it's not the the most modern helicopter in the world.

They might need to rebrand the company since they're not going to be only making buses anymore ! :cool:

I'm impressed by the blade design. If I well recall, this has been already described as a revolutionary effort to reduce noise.:ok:


Instead, the size of the landing gear doesn't impress me so much.. :hmm:

Be interesting to see if they stop calling the standby AH ISIS

Very nice looking piece of equipment; it's even got "VIP skids" for ground taxying! :ok:

Perhaps they could change the name to something like

http://www.airbushelicopters.com.my/...2/10/logo3.png

Oh wait, they just did ...

At least it can ground taxi, unlike the so-called "VIP" EC135 which makes a terrible scraping noise....

It takes more than good looks to "kill the139", let's call the H-160 (sounds like a Renault product, just like the vent registers on its dashboard) a medium light twin with decent (paper) performance.:cool:
Oh, and probably a "smooth ride and an airy interior".:rolleyes:

Question - is 3dB really worth what those blades are going to cost on ship?

I can't imagine the potential fatigue issues they might end up facing in long term operation.

Learn your dB scales.

It's a reduction of half.

Learn what a decibel is.

3dB does not equate to a subjective "halving" of noise.

3 dB increase is, by definition, a doubling of power in watts

In any case, the difference is noticeable, but certainly not half.

Unless mistaken, logarithmic dB scale can be applied to any physical quantity. If talking about noise, it is about sound pressure levels in Pa.

Arrakis

Correct, and doubling of dB(SPL) does not equate to a doubling of psychoacoustic volume.

If you have a decently high end audio receiver at home, let me know if going from -25dB to -22dB on the volume makes you jump out of your sofa for being "twice as loud"!

Axiom AudioFile Newsletter

Purely academic, but:
based on press data: - 3 dB noise, which means - 3 dB SPL.

In an audio system a 3 dB SPL change would require about 6 dB accoustic power change (x4) and would give about 50% volume change (subjective).

As we are not talking about music (20 Hz - 20 kHz spectrum) but about noise of limited spectrum and our hearing subjective reaction will depend on that noise spectrum, time duration of peaks, etc... the final answer is I don't know.
Probably around 50% volume reduction (but see remark above).

Arrakis

:ugh:

3dB SPL =/= 50% subjective volume
10db SPL = 50% subjective volume

To achieve the subjective "50% volume change", it's universally agreed in industry that the average noise (not necessarily music frequency range) dB reduction would need to be 10dB SPL.

The blue edge blade design claims a reduction of 3dB SPL.

The blue edge blade does not reduce perceived blade noise volume by 50%.

Q.E.D.

Lets see now -

What the EC155 really should have been instead of cobbled 365 parts?

Similar concept with a new brush?

Should be fast and quiet if improved in those respects as the 155 certainly is.

When will you see it certified? I would guess about 3-4 years at best.

Clean sheet?

I'm affraid not. From the begining, You are mixig things.

A 10 dB of accoustic power change gives effectively x2 volume change but also a little bit over 3x SPL change (noise level, we are talking about).
Please try to make the difference between accoustic power, SPL (nosie level) and loudness (volume).
From AH press release
Airbus Helicopters
we are talking about
and not 3 dB power reduction which is not the same.

I also made a mistake. It should be approx. 23% volume. The value of 50% volume change would be for 6 dB of noise reduction. Not enough sleep I presume :zzz:

Arrakis

on a new aircraft why is the 30second oei (blue line on fli) so much less than mcp? The pic shows the radalt and bar alt to be below 2000ft and only +9c. Acceptable risk in an old aircraft, but for me in a new twin I want to be able to cruise at close to mcp and not have to immediately be lowering collective to save rpm if a power unit quits.

Also why is the TOP range quite small with an almost equal transient range?

It is a static display model... ;-)

I know nothing about this aircraft but think the demo display is showing the OEI mode of the FLI. If previous aircraft are anything to go by the 30s OEI rating would be the solid red line on top of the amber band and not the blue line. By definition MCP OEI must be less than the 30s OEI rating.

Also I would expect the aircraft in case of an engine failure to automatically manage the power for you (even if this wasn't the case I think an engine failure in the cruise is a bit of a non event) so I don't really see much risk there.

But then again I could be completely wrong! ;-)

First ground run :

http://nsa37.casimages.com/img/2015/...4302264881.png

First flight:

https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...37&oe=55F8D22D

I/C

A rather unfortunate combination of letters on that registration...

Erm, has anybody else noticed the differences between the mock-ups and the actual aircraft (particularly around the cowlings)?

http://www.modeltek.com/X4-1.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psupk1zfla.jpg

...and...
https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...37&oe=55F8D22D

Sleek and aerodynamic seems to have turned into bulky and awkward.

And top heavy to taxy with the narrow track