Transcript (en)

Bell unveils folding rotator design for high-speed vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The new design makes it possible to fold or unfold the helicopter's rotor blades. This makes the helicopter smaller for moving or storing, and it will be useful for military helicopters that need to be transported by aircraft or stored in confined spaces. During the test, Bell's folding rotor is attached to a special railborne test rig that moves along a track at a fast speed. This track mimics what happens when the aircraft flies fast, so the engineers can check if the folding rotor system works well and is safe in real-life situations. The rig includes a turboshaft engine which powers the rotor and an additional turbofan to provide thrust to push the machine forward during flight.