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121-451: The CarterCopter is a pusher configuration autogyro with wings and a twin boom tail, intended as a prototype and a technology demonstrator. The rotor is a two-bladed design weighted with 55 pounds (25 kg) depleted uranium at each tip, and it is mounted on a tilting mast, allowing the wing to stay at optimum wing efficiency at all speeds. It is an all-composite design with a hull pressurized up to 0.69 bar . The tricycle undercarriage

242-599: A South Korean procurement, hulls produced in the United Kingdom were equipped with Korean-built systems, such as ISTAR , electro-optical , electronic warfare , fire-control systems, flight control actuators, and undercarriages. A glass cockpit was adopted on the Super Lynx 300, featuring fully integrated flight and mission display systems, a variety of integrated display units including head-up displays , and dual controls; AgustaWestland has commented that

363-401: A Lynx broke the world speed record over 15 and 25 km by flying at 321.74 km/h (199.9 mph) and set a new 100 km closed circuit record shortly afterwards, flying at 318.504 km/h (197.9 mph); both of these records were set by L. Roy Moxam OBE, Westland's Deputy Chief Test Pilot (later Chief Test Pilot). In 1986, the former company demonstrator Lynx, registered G-LYNX ,

484-717: A Lynx can be converted from one mission-type to another within the space of 40 minutes. Typical combat equipment includes stabilised roof-mounted sensors, onboard countermeasures and door guns; when being used in the anti-tank role, the Lynx is typically armed with BGM-71 TOW missiles; missiles such as the Sea Skua have been used in the maritime anti-surface role. Additional armaments that have been interchangeably used include rockets, 20 mm cannons, torpedoes, and depth charges . Those Lynx built for export have been typically outfitted with armaments and equipment customised for

605-654: A ROKN Lynx successfully protected a North Korean freighter from being pursued by pirates off the coast of Somalia . In 2010, South Korea's Lynx fleet was temporarily grounded for emergency inspections following the crashes of two aircraft within the same week. Shortly afterwards it was discovered that the ROKN's helicopters had been victim of a maintenance scam, involving falsified documentation and faked replacement of components; by 2011, 12 employees of two South Korean private companies had been jailed, two ROKN officers were indicted, and several other officers were to be remanded as

726-411: A brief moment on June 17, 2005, the first time any rotary aircraft has reached this level. CarterCopter's pilot claimed that there was no great drama, and mu 1 was reached accidentally due to normal variations in rotor RPM (at 107 rpm) and vehicle airspeed; the pilot described it as 'smooth' with no significant vibration. The tests were performed under a US Army contract. Carter says they repeated mu-1 with

847-481: A craft, either aerostats ( airship ) or aerodynes (aircraft, WIG , paramotor , rotorcraft ) or others types such as hovercraft , airboats , and propeller-driven snowmobiles . The rubber-powered "Planophore", designed by Alphonse Pénaud in 1871, was an early successful model aircraft with a pusher propeller. Many early aircraft (especially biplanes) were "pushers", including the Wright Flyer (1903),

968-556: A final flypast was conducted by four Royal Navy Westland Lynx HMA8 helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron , based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. The Army Air Corps retired the Lynx in 2018, with the disbandment of 657 Squadron AAC . The first German Navy Lynx, a Sea Lynx Mk88 model, was manufactured in 1981. A total of 19 were built. In 1996, the German Navy elected to purchase seven additional Super Lynx Mk88As; in 1998,

1089-524: A forward remote location, driving the propeller by drive shaft or belt: In canard , designs a smaller wing is sited forward of the aircraft's main wing. This class mainly uses a direct drive, either single-engine axial propeller, or twin engines with a symmetrical layout, or an in line layout (push-pull) as the Rutan Voyager . In tailless aircraft such as Lippisch Delta 1 and Westland-Hill Pterodactyl types I and IV, horizontal stabilizers at

1210-407: A low-wing pusher layout may suffer power-change-induced pitch changes, also known as pitch/power coupling. Pusher seaplanes with especially high thrust lines and tailwheels may find the vertical tail masked from the airflow, severely reducing control at low speeds, such as when taxiing. The absence of prop-wash over the wing reduces the lift and increases takeoff roll length. Pusher engines mounted on

1331-477: A means of reducing the asymmetric effects of an outboard engine failure, such as on the Farman F.222 , but at the cost of a severely reduced efficiency on the rear propellers, which were often smaller and attached to lower-powered engines as a result. By the late 1930s, the widespread adoption of all-metal stressed skin construction of aircraft meant, at least in theory, that the aerodynamic penalties that had limited

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1452-752: A new common advanced Lynx variant based on the Super Lynx 300, with a new tail boom, undercarriage, cockpit, avionics and sensors. Initially referred to as the Future Lynx, and later as the Lynx Wildcat, this type has since been re-designated as the AW159 Wildcat. While having the Lynx as the origins and basis of its design, the Wildcat differs substantially. Only 5% of its components, including some main rotor gearbox parts and fuel system, remain interchangeable with previous Lynx variants. The Lynx

1573-481: A nose-on impact, the engine momentum may carry the engine through the firewall and cabin, and might injure some cabin occupants. Spinning propellers are always a hazard on ground working, such as loading or embarking the airplane. The tractor configuration leaves the rear of the plane as relatively safe working area, while a pusher is dangerous to approach from behind, while a spinning propeller may suck in things and people nearby in front of it with fatal results to both

1694-528: A number of years, British Army Lynx and Gazelle helicopters were deployed within Kosovo, performing reconnaissance and transport duties in support of NATO peacekeeping forces. In September 2000, Army Lynxes were used in Sierra Leone to rescue several British soldiers during Operation Barras . In 2002, a Lynx attached to HMS  Richmond crashed 200 miles off the coast of Virginia . In March 2003,

1815-398: A pilot having to bail out of a pusher was liable to pass through the propeller arc. This meant that of all the types concerned, only the relatively conventional Swedish SAAB 21 of 1943 went into series production. Other problems related to the aerodynamics of canard layouts, which had been used on most of the pushers, proved more difficult to resolve. One of the world's first ejection seats

1936-411: A propeller behind the fuselage, because it re-energizes the boundary layer developed on the body, and reduces the form drag by keeping the flow attached to the fuselage. However, it is usually a minor gain compared to the airframe's detrimental effect on propeller efficiency. Wing profile drag may be reduced due to the absence of prop-wash over any section of the wing. The engine is mounted behind

2057-436: A propeller efficiency of 0.75 compared to 0.85 for a tractor configuration, a loss of 12%. Pusher props are noisy, and cabin noise may be higher than tractor equivalent ( Cessna XMC vs Cessna 152 ). Propeller noise may increase because the engine exhaust flows through the props. This effect may be particularly pronounced when using turboprop engines due to the large volume of exhaust they produce. Power-plant cooling design

2178-406: A pusher configuration. Other craft with pusher configurations run on flat surfaces, land, water, snow, or ice. Thrust is provided by propellers and ducted fans, located to the rear of the vehicle. These include: The drive shaft of a pusher engine is in compression in normal operation, which places less stress on it than being in tension in a tractor configuration. Placing the cockpit forward of

2299-509: A pusher propeller at the end of the fuselage is stabilizing. A pusher needs less stabilizing vertical tail area and hence presents less weathercock effect ; at takeoff roll, it is generally less sensitive to crosswind. When there is no tail within the slipstream, unlike a tractor, there is no rotating propwash around the fuselage inducing a side force to the fin. At takeoff, a canard pusher pilot does not have to apply rudder input to balance this moment. Efficiency can be gained by mounting

2420-697: A result. In 2024, South Korea approved an almost 2.9 trillion won (₩) program to replace the Lynx helicopters by the 2030s. In 1979, the Lynx Mk.2(FN) entered service with the French Naval Aviation of the French Navy , a total of 26 aircraft would be procured, followed by 14 improved Mk.4(FN)s. Upon entering service, the French Lynx was more capable of performing independent anti-submarine operations than its Royal Navy counterpart,

2541-439: A review of the vulnerability of helicopter transports in southern Iraq. In 2006, the first Lynx AH.7 was deployed to Helmand Province , Afghanistan ; this variant would only be subsequently used during winter months due to the performance limitations imposed during the high summer temperatures. The Lynx AH.9A later deployed was praised as having been a substantial performance improvement. On 26 April 2014, Lynx AH.9A ZF540 of

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2662-505: A safe center of gravity (CG) position, there is a limit to how far aft an engine can be installed. The forward location of the crew may balance the engine weight and will help determine the CG. As the CG location must be kept within defined limits for safe operation load distribution must be evaluated before each flight. Due to a generally high thrust line needed for propeller ground clearance, negative (down) pitching moments, and in some cases

2783-539: A significant portion of Iraq's navy. Navy Lynxes were routinely used to deploy troops to oil platforms and into occupied Kuwait , as well as to perform aerial reconnaissance across the Gulf. The British Army also deployed 24 TOW -armed Lynxes alongside an equal number of Westland Gazelle helicopters during the Gulf War. They were assigned the mission of locating and attacking Iraqi tank concentrations, and to support

2904-415: A single aircraft being capable of simultaneously being equipped for detection and weapon delivery roles. In February 2011, a French Lynx landed on the flight deck of a FREMM multipurpose frigate for the first time as a part of qualifying trials. In addition to France's own Lynx fleet, French Navy vessels have also hosted British Lynx helicopters, such as during an extended counter-piracy deployment on board

3025-401: A surface search capability, which is used in maritime patrol, search and rescue, and other mission profiles. British Army models are equipped with a Marconi Elliot automatic flight control system capable of performing automatic three axes stabilisation. The integration of both avionics and weapons systems is customised for each Lynx batch to customer specifications and requirements. Most of

3146-583: A third crew member was critically wounded. Various British Lynxes were used during the NATO intervention in the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo , later known as the Kosovo War . They were frequently employed to supply NATO forces inside the theatre, including those engaged in humanitarian operations. In June 1999, the type was employed to escort British ground forces being air-deployed into Kosovo via Chinooks , during NATO's first phase of deployment. For

3267-482: A total of 36 years, entering service in 1976 and phased out in 2012 after being extensively used. These performed search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and special forces support tasks while operating from the flight decks of most RNN vessels during this period. In 1993, the RNN fleet were upgraded to a common Lynx SH-14D standard. In 1999, a design defect in the rotor-head used on some Lynx aircraft

3388-520: A tricycle undercarriage and a deck restraint system, folding main rotor blades, an emergency flotation system and a nose-mounted radar. An improved Lynx for the Royal Navy , the Lynx HAS.3 , had Gem 42-1 Mark 204 engines, an uprated transmission, a new flotation system and an Orange Crop ESM system. The Lynx HAS.3 also received various other updates in service. A similar upgrade to the French Lynx

3509-409: A utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants. The Lynx went into operational usage in 1977 and was later adopted by the armed forces of over a dozen nations, primarily serving in the battlefield utility , anti-armour , search and rescue and anti-submarine warfare roles. The Lynx is a fully aerobatic helicopter with

3630-552: A warship. Early versions of the Lynx were powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Gem turboshaft engines and had a four-blade rotor, mounted on a rigid titanium monobloc rotor head of the kind pioneered by the MBB BO105 a few years earlier. The innovative blade design comprised a honeycomb sandwich structure made out of composite material . For shipboard stowage, both the rotor blades and tail can be folded. Lag dampers were incorporated but these are not required in flight (owing to

3751-451: Is a multi-purpose twin-engine battlefield helicopter, of which specialised versions have been developed for both sea and land-based warfare. A distinguishing feature between early and later aircraft is the undercarriage: early Army versions of the Lynx were equipped with skids, while the Naval and later models have been outfitted with wheels, a requirement for easy ground handling on the deck of

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3872-418: Is also often used for unmanned aerial vehicles , due to requirements for a forward fuselage free of any engine interference. The Aero Dynamics Sparrow Hawk was another homebuilt aircraft constructed chiefly in the 1990s. Airships are the oldest type of pusher aircraft, going back to Frenchman Henri Giffard's pioneering airship of 1852. Pusher aircraft have been built in many different configurations. In

3993-466: Is forced through the main rotor, spinning it faster and generating more lift. The vehicle climbs into the air, flying as an autogyro. Once the CarterCopter gets up to a forward speed of about 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), its stubby, lightweight wings provide most of the lift. The pilot can then flatten the angle of attack of the main rotor so it produces very little lift, dramatically reducing

4114-419: Is more complex in pusher engines than for the tractor configuration, where the propeller forces air over the engine or radiator. Some aviation engines have experienced cooling problems when used as pushers. To counter this, auxiliary fans may be installed, adding additional weight. The engine of a pusher exhausts forward of the propeller, and in this case, the exhaust may contribute to corrosion or other damage to

4235-484: Is retractable, and has a large travel to allow for landing at up to 20 ft/sec without bounce. The aircraft had been modified and rebuilt after an accident (a gear-up landing) in 2003. NASA had funded $ 1 million of the development using three research grants, and the aircraft managed to accomplish at least one of NASA's five goals. The CarterCopter concept is a gyrocopter with an unusually stiff, relatively heavy rotor, supplemented with conventional wings. At low speed,

4356-464: Is the term used to describe a drivetrain of air- or watercraft with propulsion device(s) after the engine (s). This is in contrast to the more conventional tractor configuration , which places them in front. Though the term is most commonly applied to aircraft, its most ubiquitous propeller example is a common outboard motor for a small boat. “Pusher configuration” describes the specific (propeller or ducted fan ) thrust device attached to

4477-403: Is then disconnected from the engine and the angle of attack of the main rotor blades is increased suddenly so that the vehicle leaps into the air. The aircraft's main rotor has enough momentum due to heavy counterweights in the tips that it can hover for a short time safely. The pilot then applies full power to the rear pusher propeller and the vehicle starts to move forwards. As it does so, air

4598-571: The La Fayette -class frigate Surcouf during 2012. In 2019, the French Navy announced plans to retire the Lynx by 2020, and the type carried out its final operational deployment, aboard the frigate Latouche-Tréville , in July 2020. It was formally retired from French service on 4 September 2020. The Royal Netherlands Navy 's (RNN) Naval Aviation Service operated fleet of 24 Lynx for

4719-552: The British Royal Flying Corps , because a forward-firing gun could be used without being obstructed by the arc of the propeller. With the successful introduction of Fokker 's mechanism for synchronizing the firing of a machine gun with the blades of a moving propeller , followed quickly by the widespread adoption of synchronization gears by all the combatants in 1916 and 1917, the tractor configuration became almost universally favored, and pushers were reduced to

4840-655: The Falklands War in 1982. A combination of Lynx and Westland Sea King helicopters were used to maintain continuous anti-submarine patrols in order to protect the British task force offshore from the Falkland Islands . On 3 May, a Lynx conducted the first combat-firing of a Sea Skua missile, firing on the Argentinian patrol boat ARA Alférez Sobral , inflicting considerable damage to the vessel. This

4961-525: The Horn of Africa . In 1978, the Brazilian Navy became the first foreign operator of the Lynx helicopter, having taken delivery of its first of a batch of five that year. During the 1990s, the fleet was more than doubled by the acquisition of a further batch of nine. During overseas deployments for multinational training exercises and United Nations operations, the Lynx has been described as "eyes and

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5082-657: The Irish Republican Army (IRA) brought down Lynx AH.7 ZD275 of the AAC with an improvised mortar , striking it while attempting to land at Crossmaglen Army base. The pilot managed to crash land and the aircraft was destroyed, but all crew on board survived. Author Toby Harnden described the incident as the IRA's most successful operation against a helicopter. British army helicopter crashed near Gornji Vakuf , Bosnia on 22 December 1998. Two servicemen were killed and

5203-511: The Joint Helicopter Force (Iraq) on a rotational basis. In theatre, they would escort infantry patrols, perform aerial reconnaissance, provide fire support and act as airborne communications hubs. Problems in operating in the high temperature environment were encountered, with the helicopters often operating with no power reserve and thus without the ability to overshoot during landings; these problems were belatedly overcome by

5324-615: The NH90 from 2005 onwards; however, deliveries of the new type suffered multiple delays, leading to Norway considering life extension measures on some of their Lynx fleet. Lynx was decommissioned in December 2014. The Royal Danish Navy (RDN) took delivery of eight Lynx Mk 80 between 1980 and 1981. A further two Mk 90 were delivered in 1987 and 1988 as attrition replacements. Operated by the Danish Naval Air Squadron ,

5445-531: The Portuguese Navy exclusively operates the Super Lynx Mk.95. In 1990, Portugal signed a contract for a total of five Super Lynx, two of them being refurbished ex-Royal Navy aircraft. A total of two Lynx can be operated from the flight deck of a single Vasco da Gama -class frigate ; they typically accompany the vessels, including during long distance deployments for anti-piracy operations off

5566-646: The Santos-Dumont 14-bis (1906), the Voisin-Farman I (1907), and the Curtiss Model D used by Eugene Ely for the first ship landing on January 18, 1911. Henri Farman 's pusher Farman III and its successors were so influential in Britain that pushers in general became known as the "Farman type". Other early pusher configurations were variations on this theme. The classic "Farman" pusher had

5687-659: The 1990s onwards, Westland began offering the Super Lynx 200 , which was equipped with LHTEC CTS800 engines, and the Super Lynx 300 , which also had a new cockpit and avionics derived from the AgustaWestland EH101 . Both of these models have achieved several export sales. In 2002, Flight International reported that more than 40 variants of the Lynx were in service with different users, almost 400 aircraft having been built for various customers. The British Army and Royal Navy Lynx fleets were to be replaced to

5808-1232: The 1990s. Most Army aircraft were upgraded to Lynx AH.7 and the later AH.9/AH.9A standards as utility helicopters; they have also served with 3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron (3 CBAS) of the Royal Marines and later, the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) of the FAA, operating as reconnaissance and attack/utility helicopters to support the Royal Marines. During the Cold War , it was envisioned that Army Lynxes would be paired with Westland Gazelle helicopters to counter Soviet armoured vehicles . Lynx HAS.3 and HMA.8 variants operate as anti-submarine warfare and maritime attack helicopters armed with Sting Ray torpedoes , Sea Skua anti-ship missiles and depth charges , from Royal Navy warships. Navy Lynx have been critical to maritime patrol operations, including non-military operations such as counter-narcotics missions. The Lynx HAS.2 ASW variant participated in combat operations during

5929-567: The Army Air Corps crashed near Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, killing the three crew and two passengers on board. This was the first fatal accident in the conflict involving a British military helicopter and the third largest loss of life of British troops in a single incident in Afghanistan since 2001. The Royal Navy retired its Lynx helicopters from active service on 23 March 2017 with its official decommissioning. On 17 March,

6050-474: The CCTD can climb 750 fpm. From 1999 to 2001 there were 4 recorded instances of non-fatal crashes, while Carter claims 10 accidents over 7 years, all non-fatal. Test pilot Larry Neal claimed that the CarterCopter is a challenge to fly because it is a combination of helicopter, autogyro and fixed-wing aircraft . The CarterCopter achieved its maximum mu (mu is the ratio of airspeed to rotor tip speed) of 1.0 for

6171-618: The Lynx fleet was transferred from the Danish Navy to the Royal Danish Air Force . With all HMA.8 aircraft upgraded to CMP standard, HMA.8(CMP) aircraft were re-designated back to HMA.8(SRU). The Lynx HAS.8 fleet is currently undergoing further modifications, by the Lynx Operational Support Team, to improve self-defence, mission execution and survivability. These modifications will not affect

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6292-408: The Lynx formed the bulk of the deployed British rotary aviation battle group in the invasion of Iraq . Participating aircraft were quickly outfitted with engine sand filters, armour, heat dissipaters, modern secure radios and radar warning receivers. In the subsequent multi-national occupation force , a flight of either AAC or CHF Lynx AH.7s were based at Basra International Airport under command of

6413-528: The Lynx's components had been derived from earlier Westland helicopters such as the Scout and Wasp . The Lynx has been substantially upgraded since entering service in the 1970s; improvements made to in-service aircraft have typically included strengthened airframes, new avionics and engines, improved rotor blades, and additional surveillance and communications systems. Various subsystems from overseas suppliers have been incorporated into some Lynx variants; during

6534-477: The PAV in 2013. However, on the next test flight the same day in 2005, the CarterCopter made a hard landing (crashed), causing significant damage, but the pilots were unhurt. The crash was caused by failing propeller bolts which damaged wires controlling the rotor. The propeller was designed by Carter, and was an 8 ft scimitar controllable-pitch propeller weighing 15 lbs and had a thrust of 1850 lbf. It

6655-570: The RDN fleet is typically stationed upon naval inspection vessels and used to patrol Greenland and Faroe Islands as well as the Danish mainland. Beginning in 2000, the whole Lynx fleet was upgraded to Mk 90B standard. On 7 November 2006, a Danish Lynx had the distinction of performing the first helicopter landing on board a Visby -class corvette of the Swedish Navy . In January 2011, control of

6776-421: The ability to perform loops and rolls. In 1986, a specially modified Lynx set the current Fédération Aéronautique Internationale 's official airspeed record for helicopters (category excludes compound helicopters ) at 400.87 km/h (249.09 mph), which remains unbroken as of January 2022. Several land and naval variants of the Lynx have been produced along with some major derivatives. The Westland 30

6897-444: The absence of prop-wash over the tail, a higher speed and a longer roll may be required for takeoff compared to tractor aircraft. The Rutan answer to this problem is to lower the nose of the aircraft at rest such that the empty center of gravity is then ahead of the main wheels. In autogyros , a high thrust line results in a control hazard known as power push-over . Due to the generally-high thrust line to ensure ground clearance,

7018-481: The advance of coalition ground forces into Kuwait and Southern Iraq during the 100 hours war phase of the conflict. On 26 February 1991, a Lynx of 654 Squadron AAC destroyed two MTLB armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and four T-55 tanks using TOW missiles: the engagement was the first recorded use of the missile from a British helicopter. On 19 March 1994, during The Troubles in Northern Ireland,

7139-403: The advancing rotor blade would be traveling at twice the speed of the aircraft, producing uncontrollable flight due to dissymmetry of lift . However, with the CarterCopter, the fixed wings provide the lift required to remain aloft. Since the rotor is unloaded, the aerodynamic forces on the rotor are very minor. This means that a CarterCopter can theoretically fly much faster than the tip speed of

7260-435: The amount of induced drag created by the rotor. Although the rotor is unused at high speed, the rotor is kept spinning at about 80 RPM as the rotation keeps the rotor stretched, preventing excessive flapping. Normally a helicopter or gyrocopter cannot fly forward at the same speed as or faster than its rotor tip speed. This is because the low airspeed of the retreating rotor blade would cause retreating blade stall , whilst

7381-458: The blade center line. At high speed (above about 100 mph) the aircraft flies mostly using the fixed wings, with the rotor simply windmilling. The rotor spins with a tip speed below airspeed, which means that the retreating blade flies completely stalled. On a helicopter this would cause massive lift dissymmetry and insoluble control issues but the fixed wings keep the aircraft in the air and stable. The low rotation speed and flat feathering of

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7502-414: The city's airport for a period of shore leave. A door had detached when opened inflight and collided with the tail rotor, resulting in the aircraft splitting in half and the death of all nine personnel on board. As a result, door modifications and inflight opening restrictions were introduced. As of 2004, it remained the deadliest Lynx crash. The Navy's Lynx helicopters were among Britain's contribution to

7623-512: The coalition against Saddam Hussein 's Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War . During the Battle of Bubiyan , the biggest naval engagement of the conflict, the Lynx and its Sea Skua missiles proved to be decisive, being responsible for the majority of individual engagements with various Iraqi Navy vessels. By 2 February 1991, 25 Sea Skuas had been launched, out of these, 18 were confirmed as having hit their targets, and had succeeding in heavily damaging

7744-542: The cockpit. The Lynx is considerably easier to service and maintain than the AgustaWestland Apache . The Lynx features a two-man cockpit for a pilot and observer sitting side by side; the British Army typically operates their fleet with a three-man crew, a door gunner being the third member. The cabin, located behind the cockpit, is accessed through a pair of large sliding doors on each side of

7865-536: The crew and passenger compartments, so fuel oil and coolant leaks will vent behind the aircraft, and any engine fire will be directed behind the aircraft. Similarly, propeller failure is less likely to directly endanger the crew. A pusher ducted fan system offers a supplementary safety feature attributed to enclosing the rotating fan in the duct, therefore making it an attractive option for various advanced UAV configurations or for small/personal air vehicles or for aircraft models. A pusher design with an empennage behind

7986-517: The current anti-ship missile. In 2013, the German defence ministry signed a contract with Selex ES to integrate new electro-optical/infrared sensors onto the Super Lynx. Since 2012, German Lynx have been deployed routinely off the coast of Somalia to discourage and intervene against acts of piracy as a part of the multinational Operation Atalanta . In September 2014, 15 of the navy's 22-strong Sea Lynx Mk88A fleet were temporarily grounded following

8107-410: The decision was taken to upgrade the existing Mk88 fleet, by then numbering a total of 17, to the improved Mk88A standard. In the anti-surface role, Germany's Lynx fleet were supplemented by several Westland Sea Kings , which were upgraded with Sea Skua missiles in the 1990s. In 2009, Germany was studying a limited upgrade programme for their Super Lynx fleet which reportedly included the replacement of

8228-558: The design is much safer, much less complex and less expensive than a helicopter, a tilt-rotor or the Boeing X-50 Dragonfly Canard Rotor/Wing . The CarterCopter should be capable of higher airspeeds now only achievable by fixed-wing aircraft, but also able to land like an autogyro in any small area in an emergency. At takeoff the pilot angles the top rotor flat (zero angle of attack) and spins it to very high speed (between 365 and 425 rpm). The rotor

8349-597: The discovery of fuselage cracks on some aircraft. The German Defense Ministry estimated that the Sea Lynx fleet will return to full strength in early 2015. In the long term, the German Navy is to retire the Super Lynx in favour of the NH90 Sea Tiger . The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) of South Korea took delivery of the first batch of 12 Mk.99 Lynx helicopters in 1990; a second batch of 13 Mk.99A Super Lynx helicopters began delivery in 1999. The first Lynx batch

8470-666: The early 1990s, Westland incorporated some of the technology from the Naval Lynx-3 design into a less-radical Super Lynx . This featured BERP rotor blades, the Westland 30-derived tail rotor, Gem 42 engines, a new under-nose 360-degree radar installation and an optional nose-mounted electro-optical sensor turret. Royal Navy Lynx HAS.3s upgraded to Super Lynx standard were known in service as the Lynx HMA.8 , and several export customers ordered new-build or upgraded Super Lynxes. From

8591-440: The ears of the fleet". In 2009, Brazil deployed several Lynx in an effort to locate the missing Air France Flight 447 . In 2014, a mid-life upgrade process was agreed for Brazil's Lynx fleet, they shall receive LHTEC CTS800-4N engines, new avionics, satellite navigation systems, countermeasures, and night vision-compatible cockpit displays. The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) received its six Lynx Mk 86 in 1981. 337 Squadron

8712-710: The end-user, such as the Mokopa air-to-surface missile used on Algeria's Lynx fleet, eight of which can be carried; studies into equipping the AGM-114 Hellfire have been performed, and air-to-air missiles could also reportedly be adopted if the capability is sought by operators. Equipped armaments can be managed and controlled inflight through the onboard stores management system. In order to counteract battlefield threats such as infrared-guided missiles, various defensive aid subsystems can be optionally installed, including warning receivers and countermeasures . Many of

8833-432: The engine behind the pilot to minimize the danger to the pilot's arms and legs. These two factors mean that this configuration was widely used for early combat aircraft, and remains popular today among ultralight aircraft , unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and radio-controlled airplanes . A pusher may have a shorter fuselage and hence a reduction in both fuselage wetted area and weight. In contrast to tractor layout,

8954-431: The fuselage wake, wing wake, and other flight surface downwashes—moving asymmetrically through a disk of irregular airspeed. This reduces propeller efficiency and causes vibration inducing structural propeller fatigue and noise. Prop efficiency is usually at least 2–5% less and in some cases more than 15% less than an equivalent tractor installation. Full-scale wind tunnel investigation of the canard Rutan VariEze showed

9075-604: The fuselage; it can accommodate up to ten equipped troops, depending upon seating configuration. An alternative configuration houses radio equipment in the cabin area when the aircraft is being used in the airborne command post role; the cabin can also be used to house additional fuel tanks for conducting long distance missions and ferry trips. The Lynx can perform a wide variety of mission types, including anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, vessel replenishment, search and rescue, airborne reconnaissance, armed attack, casualty evacuation and troop transport; according to AgustaWestland,

9196-624: The great majority of new U.S. landplane designs were tractor biplanes, with pushers of all types becoming regarded as old-fashioned on both sides of the Atlantic. However, new pusher designs continued to be designed right up to the armistice, such as the Vickers Vampire , although few entered service after 1916. At least up to the end of 1916, however, pushers (such as the Airco DH.2 fighter) were still favored as gun-carrying aircraft by

9317-490: The ground. When an airplane flies in icing conditions , ice can accumulate on the wings. If an airplane with wing-mounted pusher engines experiences icing, the props will ingest shredded chunks of ice, endangering the propeller blades and parts of the airframe that can be struck by ice violently redirected by the props. In early pusher combat aircraft, spent ammunition casings caused similar problems, and devices for collecting them had to be devised. The propeller passes through

9438-490: The installed sensors and avionics are typically integrated with the aircraft's avionics management system (AMS), from where they can be managed by either pilot; sensors such the optional nose-mounted FLIR can be set up to directly cue the weapon systems. Functions such as navigation and communications are also tied into the AMS, with information from these systems displayed to the pilots on interchangeable integrated display units in

9559-578: The introduction of the Lynx AH.9A. On 6 May 2006, Lynx AH.7 XZ6140 of the CHF, was shot down by a man-portable surface-to-air missile over Basra , southern Iraq; the first British helicopter and only the second British aircraft downed (the first was an RAF Hercules ) by enemy fire in the war. Among the five killed were 847 Naval Air Squadron 's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Darren Chapman; Wing Commander Coxen, who had been due to take command of

9680-477: The last fighter to use the Farman pusher configuration was the 1931 Vickers Type 161 COW gun fighter. During the long eclipse of the configuration the use of pusher propellers continued in aircraft which derived a small benefit from the installation and could have been built as tractors. Biplane flying boats had for some time often been fitted with engines located above the fuselage to offer maximum clearance from

9801-647: The mid-1960s as a replacement for the Westland Scout and Wasp , and a more advanced alternative to the UH-1 Iroquois . The design was to be powered by a pair of Bristol Siddeley BS.360 turboshaft engines. As part of the Anglo-French helicopter agreement signed in February 1967, French company Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale ) had a 30 per cent share of production work, Westland performing

9922-618: The new cockpit reduces aircrew workload and increases aircraft effectiveness. The head-up display installed could be replaced by a helmet-mounted sight system on customer demand. The Lynx AH.1 entered service with the British Army 's Army Air Corps (AAC) in 1979, followed by the Lynx HAS.2 with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) in 1981. The FAA fleet was upgraded to Lynx HAS.3 standard during the 1980s, and again to HMA.8 standard in

10043-488: The overall top speed of the Lynx, was substantially improved with the adoption of BERP rotor blade technology. During the 1990s, the hot-and-high performance of the type was considerably boosted in the later Super Lynx 200 series, at which point the type's Gem engines were replaced with the newer LHTEC T800 turboshaft engine with associated FADEC system; the Lynx can also maintain a good level of performance under moderate icing conditions . The FADEC controls eliminated

10164-431: The performance of pushers (and indeed any unconventional layout) were reduced; however, any improvement that boosts pusher performance also boosts the performance of conventional aircraft, and they remained a rarity in operational service—so the gap was narrowed but was closed entirely. During World War II , experiments were conducted with pusher fighters by most of the major powers. Difficulties remained, particularly that

10285-554: The plane and the people sucked in. Even more hazardous are unloading operations, especially mid-air, such as dropping supplies on parachute or skydiving operations, which are next to impossible with a pusher configuration airplane, especially if propellers are mounted on fuselage or sponsons. Westland Lynx The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose twin-engined military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil . Originally intended as

10406-639: The project was ended in 1987 due to insufficient orders being placed. Only one Army Lynx-3 prototype was built. A development of the Lynx AH.7 with the wheeled undercarriage of the Lynx-3 was marketed by Westland as the Battlefield Lynx in the late 1980s. The prototype first flew in November 1989, and deliveries began in 1991. In British Army service this variant is designated as the Lynx AH.9 . In

10527-432: The propeller "mounted (just) behind the main lifting surface" with the engine fixed to the lower wing or between the wings, immediately forward of the propeller in a stub fuselage (that also contained the pilot) called a nacelle . The main difficulty with this type of pusher design was attaching the tail (empennage). This needed to be in the same general location as on a tractor aircraft, but its support structure had to avoid

10648-428: The propeller is structurally more complex than a similar tractor type. The increased weight and drag degrades performance compared with a similar tractor type. Modern aerodynamic knowledge and construction methods may reduce but never eliminate the difference. A remote or buried engine requires a drive shaft and associated bearings, supports, and torsional vibration control, and adds weight and complexity. To maintain

10769-482: The propeller to prevent the propeller from striking the ground, at an added cost in drag and weight. On tailless pushers such as the Rutan Long-EZ , the propeller arc is very close to the ground while flying nose-high during takeoff or landing. Objects on the ground kicked up by the wheels can pass through the propeller disc, causing damage or accelerated wear to the blades; in extreme cases, the blades may strike

10890-699: The propeller. The earliest examples of pushers relied on a canard but this has serious aerodynamic implications that the early designers were unable to resolve. Typically, mounting the tail was done with a complex wire-braced framework that created a lot of drag. Well before the beginning of the First World War , this drag was recognized as just one of the factors that would ensure that a Farman-style pusher would have an inferior performance to an otherwise similar tractor type . The U.S. Army banned pusher aircraft in late 1914 after several pilots died in crashes of aircraft of this type, so from about 1912 onwards,

11011-399: The propeller. This is usually minimal, and may be mainly visible in the form of soot stains on the blades. In case of propeller/tail proximity, a blade break can hit the tail or produce destructive vibrations, leading to a loss of control. Crew members risk striking the propeller while attempting to bail out of a single-engined airplane with a pusher prop. At least one early ejector seat

11132-510: The rear of the aircraft are absent. Flying wings like the Northrop YB-35 are tailless aircraft without a distinct fuselage. In these installations, the engines are either mounted in nacelles or the fuselage on tailless aircraft, or buried in the wing on flying wings, driving propellers behind the trailing edge of the wing, often by extension shaft. Almost without exception, flexwing aircraft , paramotors , and powered parachutes use

11253-414: The region's British helicopter forces, and Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill ; Coxen was the most senior British officer to die in the conflict and Mulvihill was the first British servicewoman to die in action in 22 years. At the crash scene, British troops reportedly encountered rioting Iraqi civilians and were fired on by militia, while civilians were killed in the ensuing clashes. The crash led to

11374-535: The remainder. It was intended that France would procure the Lynx for its Navy and a heavily modified armed reconnaissance variant for the French Army, with the United Kingdom in return buying Aérospatiale Gazelle and Puma for its armed forces. In October 1969, the French Army cancelled its requirement for the Lynx, so development of the armed variant was terminated at an early stage. The first Lynx prototype took its maiden flight on 21 March 1971. In 1972,

11495-447: The requirement for a throttle or manual speed selection switches, further simplifying flight control. Later aircraft feature automatic stabilisation equipment; functions such as auto-hover are installed on some Lynx. Various avionics and on-board systems are integrated on the Lynx in order to perform differing mission profiles. Several operators have equipped their Lynx with BAE Systems ' Seaspray surveillance radar to provide for

11616-463: The rigidity of the monobloc rotor head). The main rotor features a vibration absorption system. The Lynx is an agile helicopter, capable of performing loops and rolls, and of attaining high speeds. The agility of the type led to its use as an aerial display aircraft, having been operated by the Blue Eagles and Black Cats helicopter display teams. The efficiency of the main rotor, as well as

11737-406: The rotor means that it causes little drag, and the company claims that the aircraft would be potentially able to leverage the advantages of fixed wings as well as gyrocopters, giving almost all the capabilities of helicopters (except hovering) but with a relatively simple mechanical system. Carter Aviation also claims the system is safer than a typical fixed-wing aircraft, and others have remarked that

11858-399: The rotor. The rotors would still experience flapping as they rotate due to dissymmetry of lift between the two sides of the vehicle, but Carter Aviation claims this is manageable. The claimed theoretical maximum speed of a CarterCopter type aircraft is around 500 mph (800 km/h), which would be about twice as fast as the helicopter flight airspeed record . The prototype's engine

11979-697: The tiny minority of new aircraft designs that had a specific reason for using the arrangement. Both the British and French continued to use pusher-configured bombers, though there was no clear preference either way until 1917. Such aircraft included (apart from the products of the Farman company) the Voisin bombers (3,200 built), the Vickers F.B.5 "Gunbus", and the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 ; however, even these found themselves being shunted into training roles before disappearing entirely. Possibly

12100-527: The trailing edge of the wing, plus four jet engines. Although the vast majority of propeller-driven aircraft continue to use a tractor configuration, there has been in recent years something of a revival of interest in pusher designs: in light homebuilt aircraft such as Burt Rutan 's canard designs since 1975, ultralights such as the Quad City Challenger (1983), flexwings, paramotors , powered parachutes , and autogyros . The configuration

12221-422: The vast majority of fixed-wing aircraft, the propeller or propellers are still located just behind the trailing edge of the "main lifting surface", or below the wing (paramotors) with the engine being located behind the crew position. Conventional aircraft layout have a tail ( empennage ) for stabilization and control. The propeller may be close to the engine, as the usual direct drive: The engine may be buried in

12342-491: The vehicle architecture could potentially outperform helicopters on every dimension except sustained hover, and should be much cheaper to buy and maintain. The company also claims that it also very nearly matches the L/D of fixed wing General Aviation aeroplanes at cruise speed - but with near-vertical takeoff and landing. However, jump take-off ability using the stored rotor energy has never been shown to more than about 16 feet with

12463-409: The vehicle flies as a gyrocopter, and can pre-spin the rotor for a vertical takeoff and very brief hover (about 5 seconds), and can land more or less vertically. Several technical challenges make flying a slow rotor difficult, but rotor stability is achieved through the combination of the rotor tip weights' location ahead of the blade center line (forward center of gravity ) and the center of lift aft of

12584-420: The water, often driving pusher propellers to avoid spray and the hazards involved by keeping them well clear of the cockpit. The Supermarine Walrus was a late example of this layout. The so-called push/pull layout , combining the tractor and pusher configurations—that is, with one or more propellers facing forward and one or more others facing back—was another idea that continues to be used from time to time as

12705-450: The wing attached. NASA has made computer models of the CarterCopter rotor above mu=1 and up to 400 knots airspeed. Data from Aviation Week , American Helicopter Society , AeroNews, Jane's , CarterCopters.com General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Pusher configuration In aeronautical and naval engineering , pusher configuration

12826-501: The wing may obstruct sections of the wing trailing edge , reducing the total width available for control surfaces such as flaps and ailerons. When a propeller is mounted in front of the tail, changes in engine power alter the airflow over the tail and can give strong pitch or yaw changes. Due to the pitch rotation at takeoff, the propeller diameter may have to be reduced (with a loss of efficiency ) and/or landing gear made longer and heavier. Many pushers have ventral fins or skids beneath

12947-475: The wing to balance the weight of the engine(s) aft improves visibility for the crew. In military aircraft, front armament could be used more easily on account of the gun not needing to synchronize itself with the propeller, although the risk that spent casings fly into the props at the back somewhat offset this advantage. Aircraft where the engine is carried by, or very close to, the pilot (such as paramotors, powered parachutes, autogyros, and flexwing trikes) place

13068-536: Was (per force) designed for this aircraft, which later re-emerged with a jet engine . The largest pusher aircraft to fly was the Convair B-36 "Peacemaker" of 1946, which was also the largest bomber ever operated by the United States . It had six 3,800 hp (2,800 kW) 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney Wasp Major radial engines mounted in the wing, each driving a pusher propeller located behind

13189-469: Was 2, and its BERP blade tips reached a speed of Mach 0.97. The British Army ordered over 100 Lynx helicopters under the designation of Lynx AH.1 ( A rmy H elicopter Mark 1) to perform several roles, such as transport, armed escort, anti-tank warfare (with eight TOW missiles ), reconnaissance and evacuation missions. Deliveries of production helicopters began in 1977. An improved Lynx AH.1 with Gem 41-1 or Gem 42 engines and an uprated transmission

13310-410: Was designed specifically to counter this risk. Some modern light aircraft include a parachute system that saves the entire aircraft, thus averting the need to bail out. Engine location in the pusher configuration might endanger the aircraft's occupants in a crash or crash-landing in which engine momentum projects through the cabin. For example, with the engine placed directly behind the cabin, during

13431-707: Was formalised with Rolls-Royce to license manufacture the Lynx's Gem engines at the Helwan facility. However, this plan was ultimately aborted due to a lack of funds that resulted from the collapse of the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI). Announced in 1984, the Lynx-3 was an enhanced development, featuring a stretched fuselage, a redesigned tail boom, Gem 60-3/1 engines, a wheeled tricycle undercarriage, BERP rotor blades, and increased fuel capacity. Both Army and Naval variants were proposed; however,

13552-467: Was initially believed that the CarterCopter was unrepairable; later inspection showed that it could be repaired, but the company chose to work on a small open wingless autogyro demonstrator instead. Also later in 2005 and using lessons learned from the CarterCopter, design began on the subsequent compound aircraft, the Carter PAV , which flew in 2011. The company claims that the testing indicated that

13673-606: Was known as the Lynx Mk.4(FN) . In September 1974, the British and Egyptian governments initiated talks to establish a new Egyptian helicopter manufacturer. Out of these talks, the Arab British Helicopter Company (ABHCO) was established during the 1970s; this new organisation was accompanied by an initial arrangement to manufacture under licence the Lynx AH.1 in Helwan , Egypt . A separate agreement

13794-409: Was later upgraded to the same standard as the second batch; the changes included the adoption of a new radar, FLIR, and ESM systems. In 2013, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced its selection of the AW159 Wildcat; deliveries of eight aircraft are planned for 2015–16; these will be used for search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare and surveillance missions. In May 2009,

13915-504: Was normally aspirated, and hence limited to just 320 hp (240 kW) and the aircraft went about 173 mph (270 km/h); which is still ~40% faster than a conventional autogyro but slower than gyrodynes of the 1950s. A custom gyroplane can go 168.29 km/h (104.6 mph), and Carter says the Carter Personal Air Vehicle goes 200 miles per hour (170 kn; 320 km/h). At 4,000 lbs weight,

14036-555: Was produced as a civil utility helicopter; it was not a commercial success and only a small number were built during the 1980s. In the 21st century, a modernised variant of the Lynx was designed as a multi-role combat helicopter, designated as the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat ; the Wildcat is intended to replace existing Lynx helicopters. The initial design, then known as the Westland WG.13, was started in

14157-488: Was reactivated at Bardufoss and declared operational with Lynx in 1983. RNoAF operates the aircraft with the Norwegian Coast Guard 's Nordkapp -class offshore patrol vessels . In 2010, one Lynx reached the end of its operational life and was withdrawn from service; a second aircraft suffered a non-fatal crash in 1988 and was totally rebuilt by Westland. The Lynx was to have been progressively replaced by

14278-515: Was referred to as the Lynx AH.5 ; only five were built for evaluation. The AH.5 led to the Lynx AH.7 , which added a new tail rotor derived from the Westland 30 , a reinforced airframe, improved avionics and defensive aids. The initial naval variant of the Lynx, known as the Lynx HAS.2 in British service, or Lynx Mk.2(FN) in French service, differed from the Lynx AH.1 in being equipped with

14399-436: Was responsible for the loss of a Dutch aircraft in 1999; this led to a number of Lynx worldwide to be temporarily grounded until retrofitted with new titanium rotor-heads. On 28 February 2011, a Dutch Lynx and three navy personnel were captured by Libyan forces while performing an evacuation mission inside the country. On 19 September 2012, the RNN performed its final operational Lynx flight. The Portuguese Naval Aviation of

14520-472: Was specially modified with Gem 60 engines and British Experimental Rotor Programme (BERP) rotor blades. On 11 August 1986 the helicopter was piloted by Trevor Egginton when it set an absolute speed record for helicopters over a 15 and 25 km course by reaching 400.87 kilometres per hour (216.45 kn; 249.09 mph); an official record with the FAI it still holds . At this speed, its lift-to-drag ratio

14641-448: Was the first use of sea-skimming missiles in the conflict. Although none were shot down in combat, a total of three were lost aboard vessels that were struck by attacks from Argentine aircraft, these vessels being HMS  Coventry , HMS  Ardent and SS Atlantic Conveyor . On 14 May 1989, in the type's second fatal accident, Lynx HAS3GM XZ244 , attached to HMS  Brilliant , crashed near Mombasa, Kenya, while en route to

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