NGCTR is Leonardo's research and innovation (R&I) project aimed at developing an advanced concept for a next generation Tiltrotor. This project leads to the definition of new technologies and an innovative tiltrotor architecture, the main systems and enabling technologies, with the purpose to increase performance and operational capability with respect to current tiltrotor configurations.
NGCTR allows a substantial increase in productivity and operational capability for various civil missions and public service scenarios thanks to a cruise speed in the order of 280 kts (greater than 500 km/h), which is twice that of typical helicopters and close to turboprop aircraft speeds, with an autonomy of about 1,000 nautical miles (1,850 km).
This aircraft will have dimensions comparable to those of a helicopter and will operate in all weather conditions and with comfort levels similar to those of an airliner. This will allow to expand the opportunities to ensure people’s mobility and freight transportation, reaching remote geographical areas that today helicopters and airplanes cannot reach easily. This will be achieved minimizing the environmental impact through reduced emissions (CO2, noise) and without the need to create large and expensive infrastructures.
The NGCTR project involves the construction of various technological demonstrators of the main systems, as well as a full-scale technological demonstrator necessary to perform the experimental flights and the validation of architectures and new technologies. Such activities are carried out within the Clean Sky 2 initiative under the European Commission's Horizon 2020 Framework Program for Research and Innovation.
This project is part of Leonardo's product and technology development roadmap, aimed at reinforcing the strategic positioning and expanding the company's product range in the key-sector of rotary-wing aircraft, and all associated technologies, in which today it is a world leader.