Audio By Carbonatix
That quote comes from Kevin Bredenbeck, chief test pilot with the Sikorsky facility west of Jupiter. But don’t go craning your neck, shielding your eyes from the sun, looking for the badass X2 screaming overhead. From Jupiter, Bredenbeck says, he takes the craft north toward Indiantown or west toward the big lake.
The fastest helicopter started out life on the drawing board; then finally, in 2008, it lifted off, hovered, and landed.
According to Sikorsky, the helicopter could be used to transport executives to take a look at a burning drill platform in the Gulf, for civilian rescue missions — or for military special ops. The firm’s goal is to have the X2 reach 250 knots (average cruising speed for a normal helicopter is about half that), or about 288 mph.
Just the name evokes a certain military-terminology daydream, like kids playing with toys on the carpet, or maybe a Bruckheimer film: “Men! We’re under attack! Get the X2 ready!!”
