Eurocopter demonstrates emergency electric motor

The centrally placed electric motor activates during an auto-rotation landing, which is performed by helicopter pilots in the event of a failure in the main turbo shaft engine.

In such an event, the electric motor, which is powered by a lithium-ion polymer battery, provides power to the rotor, allowing a pilot to control the helicopter during a descent.

‘The electric back-up system aims at easing the pilot’s work and reducing stress. I believe it will lead to even less fatalities, as well as less damages to the helicopter in case of engine failure in flight,’ said Jean-Michel Billig, Eurocopter’s executive vice-president of R&D.

‘It is all about improving safety by reducing the pilot’s stress and workload during an auto-rotation manoeuvre.

‘Integrating a system that included an engine, a converter and a battery into a helicopter, which already had a very complex system in terms of physical and technological characteristics, was very challenging,’ added Billig.