![]() The Tiger's horizontal drive shaft is made of aluminium alloy the inclined drive shaft is made of composites. For example, the tail-rotor drive shaft on a commercial aircraft of this size would normally be about 40mm in diameter and of solid metal. The aircraft's agility, with its limits of +3.5g to -0.5g, also helps it to stay out of trouble.Īnother of the design criteria is, "If Hit, Survive The Impact And Stay In The Air". Dotted around the fuselage are devices for detecting laser and radar illumination, and alerting the crew. So there is the very thin fuselage with 1.1m-wide cockpits, the signature-reducing paint, no glare from the large areas of cockpit glass and plexi glass, the infra-red/TV sight right on the top of the main rotor to allow the rest of the helicopter to remain hidden, the diffused engine-exhaust gases, low-radar-signature blades and low overall noise.Īlso apparent, were the measures taken to satisfy the second criterion, of any combat helicopter - "If Seen, Do Not Be Hit". The first of these is "Do Not Be Seen By The Enemy". I was aware of the various design philosophies and saw now how they were achieved. We spent a long time going round the aircraft. I had asked for a heavy aircraft, so Warner chose 5,700kg, which would be a representative weight after taking off at the maximum of 6,000kg with the appropriate weapons and fuel for the job to be done, and arriving in the vicinity of the first target or targets. The weather was fine, with a gentle breeze, plus 7☌ air temperature, and a pressure and density altitude of about 2,000ft (600m). The engineers were convinced that they gave the engine a clean-up on the way through.Īfter a pre-flight study of the flight manual, and other documents and a long question and answer session with Andrew Warner, Eurocopter's chief test pilot and Tiger project pilot, and Manfred Kaminski, flight-test engineer in charge of the Tiger, I was ready to fly. ![]() Their robustness reminded me of operating in primary jungle clearings in South America, where our centrifugal compressors would suck in all sorts of bits and pieces of undergrowth and vegetation and spit them out at the back with no ill-effect. Instead, with this engine there are two very powerful centrifugal compressors of modern shape, design and materials pouring the power into just a single gas-generator turbine. Gone are complex axial compressors and their complex variable air-inlet guide vanes, which are fine when everything is well adjusted, but can cause dramatic power losses and other undesirable characteristics when they go wrong. ![]() What I found remarkable is that the modern engines can produce the same, or even more power than, their predecessors, but weigh a lot less. The Tiger, like all the other combat helicopters, has a high power-to-weight ratio. The engines produce a huge amount of power - 1,160kW (1,550hp) "super emergency power" and 958kW each for takeoffs - yet they weigh only 170kg. I did, however, examine a reversion to single engine in the cruise. Visitors like me are not yet allowed to do single engine landings. The MTU/Turbomeca/Rolls-Royce 390 engines are prototypes also, so we had to be careful. It is very powerful, as I was to find out.Īll the gear boxes have a dry run capability the main gearbox for 66min. I recognised it as being similar to that of the Aerospatiale Super Puma, but with three blades. The tail rotor, too, is modern in design and materials. The main rotor blades are also made from composite materials, and especially at the blade tips, are of modern design. The rotor head has no hinges to lubricate and is made of composite materials. Airline Business special: CEOs to watch in 2021įlight International flight-tests Eurocopter's candidate for the UK attack-helicopter requirement.Įverything about the Eurocopter Tiger is modern - the design, materials, the technology and even the way it is operated and managed.FlightGlobal Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2021.EDGE: A new global force in aerospace and defence.Shell Aviation: What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation?.What does the future of aviation look like in 2022?.Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2022.What will it take to Decarbonise Aviation?.Airline Business Covid-19 recovery tracker.
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