Piasecki X-49
Piasecki Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 2007 · helicopter
The Piasecki X-49 SpeedHawk is a compound helicopter technology demonstrator built around a modified Sikorsky YSH-60F airframe, fitted with stub wings and Piasecki's signature ducted tail fan for high-speed flight. It was developed to explore high-speed helicopter concepts for the US Army.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 19.76 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller (VTDP) tail fan
- Modified UH-60 Black Hawk airframe
- Speed demonstrator compound helicopter
Distinguished by its wide stub wings, elongated fuselage based on the Black Hawk, and the large ducted tail fan that replaces the standard tail rotor.
Specifications
- The Piasecki X-49 has a length of 19.76 m (65 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.84 m (29 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 350 km/h (217 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed under a US Army contract, the X-49 first flew in 2007 and demonstrated speeds significantly above conventional helicopters. The ducted pusher propeller at the tail replaces the conventional tail rotor and provides both anti-torque and forward thrust.
Variants
A single prototype was built; the program informed later high-speed rotorcraft research efforts in the United States.
Where you'll see it
Operated solely as a technology demonstrator by Piasecki and the US Army; it has not entered operational service.
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