S-97 RAIDER Conducts Transmission System Test Bed Light-Off

The S-97 RAIDER helicopter team successfully completed the transmission system test bed (TSTB)
light-off on Wednesday, July 8, at Sikorskys Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida,
signifying another significant achievement in the RAIDER programs development process.
This represents a significant milestone for the program, said Senior Program Manager for the S-97
RAIDER program Mark Hammond. The TSTB light-off allows the RAIDER team to begin endurance
testing on the drive system components, positioning the RAIDER closer to entering the full flight
demonstration phase.
Dave Walsh, the Flight Test Technical Fellow, added: The TSTB is an essential building block in the
development of RAIDER technology. The TSTB includes a significant instrumentation package and
home grown, innovative systems for controlling the propeller, main rotor collective pitch, and the engine.
By testing the drive system at full power, the TSTB light-off readies the aircraft for envelope expansion,
which will allow the aircraft to achieve higher flight speeds, a higher load factor, and reach greater
altitudes.
Endurance running on the stand validates the entire transmission system both from a safety of flight and
a long term life point of view, said Don Chao, TSTB Test Director. The TSTB endurance test is key to
clearing the aircraft back to flight and into the full flight test program.
In addition to the engine light-off, the program team also launched the shakedown process for the drive
system. During the shakedown phase of the ground runs, the Raider team will perform functional
evaluation of the drive system and flight controls system. The shakedown phase will confirm that these
systems are operating as planned, enabling the testing to continue to move forward, said Hammond.
Following shakedown, the team will conduct envelope expansion and gear pattern development prior to
the endurance runs.
The first RAIDER helicopter prototype, which was rolled out to the public in October 2014, had undergone
34 hours of ground testing and successfully completed the one-hour flight test, which occurred on May
22, in West Palm Beach. While in-flight, the S-97 RAIDER completed the basic maneuverability
assessment and flight control system evaluation.
The current focus of the S-97 RAIDER development team has now shifted to expanding the flight
envelope of the S-97 leading to the demonstration of its key performance parameters in terms of hover,
speed, and maneuverability, said Dave Adams, S-97 Mission System Integration IPT Lead.
The S-97 RAIDER is Sikorskys latest application of its X2 Technology. The RAIDER helicopter is
poised to revolutionize next-generation military aviation as a new light tactical rotorcraft designed to
outmatch conventional military helicopters in speed, maneuverability, and high altitude operations.
By Tom Korolyshun