Hughes XV-9A
Hughes Aircraft · United States · first flew 1964 · helicopter
The Hughes XV-9A was an experimental American helicopter that used a 'hot cycle' rotor system — exhausting jet efflux through the blade tips to spin the rotor — eliminating the need for a conventional tail rotor.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 13.7 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- hot-cycle rotor tip-jet helicopter
- no tail rotor needed
- two General Electric turboshafts exhausting through blade tips
The most obvious recognition feature is the absence of a tail rotor — the tail boom ends in a simple stub without any anti-torque device. The large main rotor and twin exhaust stacks feeding into the rotor head also set it apart from any production helicopter.
Specifications
- The Hughes XV-9A has a length of 13.7 m (45 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17 m (56 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 280 km/h (174 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Hughes Aircraft proposed the hot-cycle rotor as a solution to the mechanical complexity of conventional helicopter transmissions. Two General Electric YT64 turboshafts fed their exhaust gases through hollow rotor blades to nozzles at the blade tips, generating torque directly. The XV-9A flew in 1964 but the Army concluded that conventional designs offered better performance with less development risk.
Variants
Only one prototype was built.
Where you'll see it
Evaluated by the US Army as a potential heavy lift platform; no production followed. The aircraft is preserved at the US Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker.
Related aircraft
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