The Eurocopter X3 can cruise at more than half the speed of a commercial jet. Although the helicopter was striving to hit 220 knots, it actually blew past that milestone to maintain 232 knots (450 km or 279.6 miles per hour) in level, stabilized flight -- a new record for this aircraft. For the uninitiated, the X3 earns its "hybrid" moniker by combining two turboshaft engines that power five-blade main rotor system and two propellers installed on short-span fixed wings -- which, in layman's terms, allows it to hover like a helicopter should while reaching the kind of speeds you'd expect from a turboprop-powered aircraft.
While we love the idea of a high-speed joy ride for tourists, this thing will be used for long-distance search and rescue missions, along with border patrol, coast guard duties, offshore operations, passenger and troop transport, and medical evacuation.
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