Sikorsky S-97 RAIDER

West Palm Beach, Florida. October 3, 2014. Sikorsky Aircraft facility unveiled the first of two S-97 RAIDER™ helicopter prototypes.

Kind of weird that Sikorsky would do this in a theater setting instead of at an airport, but perhaps the people who count like listening to other people talk, and you can bet there was a lot of talking going on at this event. Plus their hair wouldn't get mussed. So, politics. Should be making test flights before the end of the year. It has probably already made some, but under the radar, so to speak. Last thing you want on a project this expensive is a crash of the prototype on the evening news.

This thing uses a rigid hub and flexible blades instead of the complicated hinge and flap hubs used on other helicopters. Fancy materials lets them do that.