Bell's electrically-powered tail rotor tech breaks cover and it could be a game-changer
FORT WORTH, Texas - Bell has been quietly flight testing a modified Model 429 helicopter with a new all-electric tail rotor configuration in Canada for months. This Electrically Distributed Anti-Torque system, or EDAT, offers improved efficiency and reliability, as well as a reduced acoustic signature and lower maintenance costs compared to traditional tail rotors, writes Joseph Trevithick for TheDrive.com. Continue reading original article.
The Intelligent Aerospace take:
February 21, 2020 - Earlier this week, Bell showed off its experimental 429 helicopter with electric tail rotors, though it made its first flight in the spring of 2019. Bell's Light Aircraft Program director Eric Sinusas told Vertical magazine that, "In a nutshell, we removed all of the conventional mechanical anti-torque components – which is gearboxes, driveshafts, and tail rotor hub and blades – and replaced it with four electric motors and fans.This is the first time anyone in the world ever done this, so the first step was just to make sure that it actually works – and yes it does work."
