World's fastest helicopter
The Eurocopter X3 (X-Cubed) is an experimental high-speed compound helicopter developed by Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters). A technology demonstration platform for Eurocopter "high-speed, long-range hybrid helicopter" or H3 concept,the X3 achieved 255 knots (472 km/h; 293 mph) in level flight on 7 June 2013, setting an unofficial helicopter speed record.
The X3 first flew on 6 September 2010 from French Direction générale de l'armement facility at Istres-Le Tubé Air Base.On 12 May 2011 the X3 demonstrated a speed of 232 knots (267 mph; 430 km/h) while using less than 80 percent of available power.
In May 2012, it was announced that the Eurocopter X3 development team had received the American Helicopter Society's Howard Hughes Award for 2012.
Eurocopter demonstrated the X3 in the United States during the summer of 2012, the aircraft logging 55 flight hours, with a number of commercial and military operators being given the opportunity to fly the aircraft.
With an aerodynamic fairing installed on the rotor head, the X3 demonstrated a speed of 255 knots (293 mph; 472 km/h) in level flight and 263 knots (303 mph; 487 km/h) in a shallow dive on 7 June 2013, beating the Sikorsky X2's unofficial record set in September 2010, and thus becoming the world's fastest non-jet augmented compound helicopter.
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