AVX Aircraft is targeting helicopter and non-helicopter prime contractors to sell the Fort Worth, Texas-based start-up's coaxial rotor and dual ducted fan concept for the US Army, AVX founder Troy Gaffey confirms.
Gaffey, a retired chief engineer of Bell Helicopter, is seeking partners to launch the project in advance of a potential competition to replace the US Army's Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.
AVX's concept (see graphic below) is based on modifying the current aircraft with a coaxial rotor for lift and two ducted fans mounted on a shortened tail boom for thrust and yaw control.
The flight controls would be modified by adding a control device to
the collective that would allow the pilot to transfer as much as 70% of
engine power from the rotor to the ducted fans in forward flight, Gaffey
says. The new device is currently a twist grip, but that could change
as the design evolves, he adds. Continue reading...
(Source: AVX, Graphic: Flightglobal)
This AVX conversion of the OH-58 Kiowa should get a small wing with hard points, for lift at high speed and for mounting external weapons and extra fuel, like Piasecki's X-49A, except high mounted to not block the view of the ground from this observation helicopter.