Throughout the history of aviation, a good number of technological advancements were made during the wartime period, where innovation was an absolute necessity. But while the air of urgency has long passed, there’s still a fascination with carrying over military models over to civilian aircraft, often either to improve the fuel efficiency or aerodynamics of a regular flyer.
Such is the case with the AW609 Tiltrotor, the civilian-friendly version of the V-22 Osprey.The Osprey itself, despite the controversy surrounding it, broke ground for combining the capacities of an airplane and a helicopter in a way that makes it efficient for both horizontal and vertical flight. This capability is in part due to its tiltrotors, which enable it to shift from either mode. And as a civilian flight vessel, this means it can go at the same speed of a private jet while carrying the manoeuvring convenience a helicopter has.
That said, while the AW609 is still in its developmental phase, we’re looking forward to seeing what the final product has in store.
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