While youâre waiting for the experimental Sikorsky X2 and Eurocopter X3 to hit production you should probably put in an order for an X4, Eurocopterâs next-generation medium twin billed as a replacement for the AS365 Dauphin / EC155, which will be ready for takeoff as soon as the end of the year. Eurocopter CEO Lutz Bertling recently promised the chopper will be âa game changerâ featuring âa new way of flying,â which many observers take to mean fly-by-wire controls, for starters. A whole new cockpit is also in the offing, bringing the tech in line with the iPad generation.
Compared with the Dauphin, the X4 will have an increased payload and enhanced performance and be safer and more environmentally friendly. Eurcopter is partnering with engine maker Turbomeca, avionics specialist Thales and aerostructures firm Daher on the project, and is looking for the French government to kick in some dough for final development. According to Bertling, the more cash Sarkozy kicks in the cooler the X4 will be. Meanwhile the company is proceeding apace with plans for the first use of diesel engines in light helicopters. Not terribly sexy, but extremely practical.
