RCP0110_0_Hangar Talk 2/15/10 5:01 PM Page 17
Frank Piasecki was not only heavily involved in the business and design aspects of his company but
also did the majority of the early test flying. (Photo courtesy of the Piasecki Aircraft Corporation)
aircraft. To do this a wing was added to pound helicopter was first successfully
unload the rotor in forward flight. A tail- flown in 2007 and the modifications al-
mounted ducted propeller with adjustable lowed the helicopter to fly 50 percent
rudder vanes, also called a Ring-Tail, re- faster, twice as far, with greater maneu-
placed the tail rotor to provide forward verability, reduced vibration and fatigue
thrust during high speed operation and loads, improved reliability and reduced
anti-torque during hovering and low speed life cycle costs (X-49A “Speedhawk”,
operations. The 16H-1 reached speeds of n.d.). Two other PiAC Army projects fo-
up to 170 mph. An improved version, the cus on UAVs. The Future Combat Sys-
16H-1A Pathfinder II, first flew in 1965 tem Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Project
and reached speeds of up to 225 mph involves an autonomous UAV capable of
(Compound Helicopters, n.d.). Currently taking off and landing on a ground vehi-
PiAC is involved in several U.S. Army cle. In 2006, as part of this project, PiAC
projects. One project is flight demon- completed the world’s first autonomous
strating a second generation Ring-Tail autogyro flight with its Air Guard UAV
called a Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller (Piasecki Completes World’s First Au-
or VTDP on the X-49A. The X-49A, also tonomous Autogyro Flight, 2006). An-
known as the Speedhawk, is a U.S. Navy other PiAC Army UAV project is the
Seahawk helicopter that has been modi- Taurais, which is a UAV capable of being
fied with lifting wings and has had the tail launched from a wing or bomb bay. Frank
rotor replaced by a VTDP. This com- Continued on page 18
HELI-EXPO BOOTH #2209
www.ROTORCRAFTPRO.com • February 2010 17
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