World’s first flight of a hybrid helicopter

Safety has become the new hot stock to buy on the market. This month Eurocopter tested the functionality and real-world application of their hybrid helicopter. You may have heard of their AS350, that little successful helicopter with more than 4,000 in service and over a million flight hours logged. Yeah, that was equipped with an electric motor to supplement its turboshaft internal combustion engine for added maneuverability during times of autorotation.

So many manly words in one sentence. Autorotation happens to be those dangerous moments when a pilot’s engine fails and he must pull back the front of the bird so that the air hitting his blades slow down the helicopter for a softer landing. It’s the type of landing you’d see in a movie where an engine is shot out or a powerful mogul is in a hurry to go to a meeting or kill someone he doesn’t like. The electric motor’s job is to power the rotary for a few precious seconds to increase the pilot’s control of the vehicle for a safe landing. Eurocopter is working to place its potentially life-saving hybrid in all of its helicopters. The design not only improves safety, but has serious potential to reduce fuel consumption and emissions in the future.

Possible link for better understanding of autorotation: