Piasecki X-49 SpeedHawk
The Piasecki X-49 SpeedHawk was a modified Sikorsky YSH-60F helicopter used to test a vectored-thrust ducted propeller. The large ring-shaped propulsor at the tail provided extra forward thrust and directional control, aiming to make a helicopter fly faster and more efficiently. The X-49 demonstrated the idea in flight but did not become a production aircraft. Its ducted tail is a rare and instantly recognisable departure from the standard Black Hawk layout.
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Did you know?
The X-49 SpeedHawk replaced a standard Black Hawk's tail rotor with a ducted, ring-shaped propeller for extra thrust and control.
Specifications
| Length | 19.8 m (65 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 5.1 m (17 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 16.4 m (54 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 11 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Range | 350 NM (648 km) |
| Maximum speed | 180 kt (333 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Rate of climb | 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s) |
| Engines | 2x General Electric T700-GE-401C |
| Units built | 1 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Piasecki X-49 SpeedHawk starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Piasecki, the X-49 SpeedHawk family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
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