choppers
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Azeroth Choppers episode 3 now available
In the third episode of Azeroth Choppers, we get a little bit of background into the members of Team Alliance and Team Horde. It's understandably less in depth than the interview that went up on the WoW official blog last week, considering the episode's time limit, but it's nice to get some face time with a few of Blizzard's developers. We also get a glimpse of the engineering process behind the bike design--the builders touch upon some of the logistical problems they face in trying to bring the Horde and Alliance chopper visions to life. Personally, I always find that stuff to be the most interesting, so I'm glad it's there. As for the bikes themselves, Team Horde had a wrench thrown into things when one of their builders, Mel, had to bow out of the competition for a family emergency. The situation seems to have left the teams somewhat behind schedule, and to Mel: we hope everything is well with your family.
Eurocopter X3 hybrid sets new speed record of 430km/h, readies for next search and rescue mission
See that chopper right there? That's the Eurocopter X3, and as of last week, it can cruise at more than half the speed of a commercial jet. Although the helicopter was striving to hit 220 knots, it actually blew past that milestone to maintain 232 knots (450 km or 279.6 miles per hour) in level, stabilized flight -- a new record for this aircraft. For the uninitiated, the X3 earns its "hybrid" moniker by combining two turboshaft engines that power five-blade main rotor system and two propellers installed on short-span fixed wings -- which, in layman's terms, allows it to hover like a helicopter should while reaching the kind of speeds you'd expect from a turboprop-powered aircraft. (And before you get too excited, yes, this one requires pilots.) While we love the idea of a high-speed joy ride for tourists, this thing will be used for long-distance search and rescue missions, along with border patrol, coast guard duties, offshore operations, passenger and troop transport, and medical evacuation. So no ride for you, but you can get your vicarious thrill anyway with a short, percussion-heavy video after the break.
