Airbus Helicopters is engaged in an EASA working group on plans to certify the engine backup system (EBS) it plans to offer for single-engine helicopters. At the same time, it is looking to ensure that the technology, which would provide power for a limited time in an engine-out emergency, can be made available to operators at an affordable cost.
According to Tomasz Krysinski, the company’s head of innovation, Airbus has already demonstrated the system with its DisruptiveLab testbed aircraft delivering 250 kilowatts of power for two minutes. The manufacturer has also demonstrated a 100-kilowatt version of the EBS that provides 30 seconds of power to help the pilot maintain a safer rotation rate, albeit insufficient to maintain level flight. “We have had some good results, but we can’t yet give any date for when the system could be available,” he told reporters.
The DisruptiveLab is also being used in Airbus’ efforts to achieve a 50 percent reduction in fuel burn through increased electrification with a hybrid powertrain, combined with aerodynamic improvements. With around 50 flight hours logged over the past 12 months, it has so far confirmed a 15 percent fuel burn reduction through measures such as a new horizontal stabilizer that eliminates vibrations and completely isolates the gearbox from the body of the aircraft.
In April, the FlightLab testbed will resume work on the development of new health and usage monitoring capabilities for light helicopters. It will also be deployed to evaluate new algorithms for sense-and-avoid technology to mitigate the risk of helicopters colliding with power cables.