Manufacturer

Phenex Aircraft Company

Year

2019

About

The XH-525 Hellbender was designed as an experimental helicopter for use by the US Air Force to replace the aging A-10s currently in service. The reasoning behind proposing a helicopter instead of a jet aircraft was recent advances in helicopter technology. The Hellbender can take off vertically like any traditional helicopter, but has a rear facing prop that provides the Hellbender the ability to cruise at speeds up to approximately 230 mph. Without needing a runway to operate from the Hellbender can be used in more remote locations. The Hellbender was designed with a fighter cockpit as to make training aircraft pilots easier.

Specifications

Countermeasures: Chaff and Flare

Armament

2 forward mini-guns
8 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles
4 BGM-71 TOW missiles
50 2.75-inch Rockets

Controls

Throttle – Main prop
Rudder – Rear prop pitch
Pitch – Normal
Roll – Normal
Trim – Main prop
VTOL – Cruise Prop throttle - Forward and Reverse
AG1 – Cruise function
AG2 – Not Used
AG3 – AMG-114 Hellfire missiles
AG4 – BGM-71 TOW missiles
AG5 – Not Used
AG6 – Not Used
AG7 – Not Used
AG8 – Gyro – recommend always leave on!!!

Notes

Takeoff will happen around 35% throttle.
Landing between 30% - 34% throttle, vary throttle to maintain safe landing speed.
Use trim to achieve stable hover if the helicopter drifts forward or back.
Hover is between 32% and 33%. Any advice is always welcome.