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XV-9A Hot Cycle (Hughes 1964)
The XV-9A "Hot Cycle" research aircraft first flew in Nov. 1964 from the runway of the Hughes Helicopter Division facilities in Culver City. The test program, which expanded the company's understanding of jet-driven rotor helicopters, was completed in Aug. 1965.
Both the XH-17 and XV-9A experimental programs provided useful information about helicopters that could fly without tail rotors -- a development that Hughes pursued further in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Photo Credit: Boeing Photo