On the evening of 11 August 1986, a Westland Lynx flew a 15 kilometre course across the Somerset Levels, achieving an average speed of 400.87km/h (249.10 mph). It became the world’s fastest helicopter. In 2016, thirty years on, this helicopter World Speed Record remains unbroken. Read the story of this amazing achievement and the people involved in the project.

1. WORLD SPEED RECORD
30TH ANNIVERSARY
1986 - 2016

2. First Prototype
XZ469 - First Navy Lynx
XX153 - First Army Lynx
Third Prototype
In 1972 the Utility Lynx prototype
(XX153) claimed two World Speed
Records in its weight class.
RECORD BREAKING PEDIGREE
In 1972 the Utility Lynx prototype (XX153)
claimed two World Speed Records in its
weight class, piloted by Roy Moxam with
Flight Test Engineer Mike Ball:
• 321.74 km/h (199.91 mph) over 15 km.
• 318.504 km/h (197.91 mph) over 100 km
closed circuit.
It utilised the metal rotor blades that were
standard at the time, establishing the Lynx
not only as a world class aircraft, but a
record breaker.
Fourteen years later, Westland smashed
the World Speed Record again, which was
then held by a modified Russian Mil Mi-24
Hind helicopter.

3. On the evening of 11 August 1986, a
Westland Lynx flew a 15 kilometre
course across the Somerset Levels,
achieving an average speed of 400.87
km/h (249.10 mph).
It became the world’s fastest
helicopter.
The Lynx helicopter which achieved
the record, commonly referred to
as “G-LYNX” – its civil registration,
had undergone a short modification
programme to make it capable of
high speeds, yet it retained the basic
airframe, rotor and transmission
system of the standard Lynx that was
in service worldwide.
In 2016, thirty years on, the helicopter
World Speed Record remains
unbroken.
LYNX HISTORY
The Westland Lynx was designed
against a requirement for a medium-
sized helicopter suitable for all
three Armed Forces. The Company
responded with project WG.13. An
Anglo-French collaboration agreed
that the WG.13 project would be
developed for both the UK and
French services. The ‘Intention to
Proceed’ was announced in July 1967
and the name Lynx adopted in 1970.
The first flight of the Lynx prototype
took placed on 21 March 1971, flown
by Westland’s Chief Test Pilot Ron
Gellatly with Co-Pilot Roy Moxam and
Flight Test Engineer David Gibbings.
This maiden flight ended a period of
thirteen years during which no new
helicopter of all-British design had
flown.
A five year development programme
followed with twelve prototypes
accumulating over 2000 flying hours.
30TH ANNIVERSARY 1986 – 2016
11 AUGUST 1986 – WESTLAND LYNX
BREAKS THE HELICOPTER WORLD
SPEED RECORD

4. To break the helicopter World Speed Record in 1986, Westland needed to
exceed 372.32 km/h over a 15 km course. The Company challenged itself to
exceed 400 km/h, 32 km/h (20 mph) more than the Russian Mil Mi-24 Hind
helicopter which had achieved the record in 1978. G-LYNX was the aircraft
chosen – a Company demonstrator that was built in 1979.
At these speeds, in its normal configuration, the Lynx would be flying well
outside its safe limits – creating unacceptable loads and stresses on the aircraft
and would have extremely poor handling qualities.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
The key to overcoming
these obstacles lay in a
new advanced composite
main rotor blade, with
a distinctive paddle tip,
developed under the
British Experimental
Rotor Programme (BERP)
of which Westland
Helicopters was the major
player. BERP blades for
G-LYNX were designed
and manufactured in
Yeovil and continue to be
made for the Super Lynx
and AW159 helicopters.
They expanded the
flight envelope by using
different aerofoil sections
along the length of the
blade and featured a
composite structure
and distinctive shaped
tip. This blade design
produced greater lift
and thrust to allow the
helicopter to fly at higher
speeds.
LYNX TECHNOLOGY

5. MODIFICATIONS
The aircraft was modified to reduce
its weight and was fitted with a
new aerodynamic tailplane. Further
streamlining was achieved by
removing external items such as
windscreen wipers and footsteps.
More powerful Rolls-Royce Gem 60
engines were installed, boosted with a
water-methanol injection system. This
gave the aircraft approximately 45%
more power than a standard Lynx.
ROTOR HEAD
Another of the most important
features of the Lynx is the innovative
semi-rigid rotor head. The rotor hub
and blade arms are made of titanium
which allow blade movement to
be absorbed by bending, rather
than using a traditional hinged
construction.
This remained unchanged on G-LYNX
for its record-breaking flight. The
semi-rigid rotor head was also the
development which allowed the Lynx
to perform aerobatic manoeuvres,
such as rolls and loops, that are not
possible in most helicopter types.

6. THE 15 KILOMETRE COURSE
The World Speed Record was broken on the calm, hazy
evening of 11 August 1986. Piloted by Trevor Egginton
with Flight Test Engineer Derek Clews alongside,
G-LYNX left Westland’s airfield for the Bath & West
Showground. On a measured 15km course over the
Somerset Levels, G-LYNX decisively smashed the
record. G-LYNX officially achieved an average of
400.87 km/h (249.10 mph) and a best speed of
412.93 km/h (256.58 mph) on one run.
EAST
HUNTSPILL
1 Royal Observatory Corps
(B. Wright)
1 Territorial Army/Cadets
1 km 1 km15 km
Official: Royal Aeronautical Club
(R. Kingdom)
Radio Vehicle: A. Joy
Video: D. Parsons
Smoke: 1 Territorial Army/Cadets
Official: Royal Aeronautical Club
(A. McClymont)
Course Marshal: I. Pavey
Radio Vehicle: D. Bond
Video: S. Shepherd
Smoke: 1 Territorial Army/Cadets
Smoke: 1 Territorial Army/Cadets
WESTHAY
MID POINT
B1
B A
1 Royal Observatory Corps
(J. Guppy)
1 Territorial Army/Cadets
HARTLAKE
BRIDGE
A1
BREAKING THE RECORD
Thirty years later, G-LYNX remains the world’s fastest helicopter.

7. Trevor Egginton was the Lynx pilot who achieved the World Speed Record flight, with Derek Clews as the Flight Test
Engineer. Trevor was a retired RAF Squadron Leader who, following a 22 year service career that culminated as a rotary
wing tutor at the Empire Test Pilots School, became Chief Test Pilot at Westland in 1980. Derek’s career as a Flight Test
Engineer began in 1980, following graduation, and he later joined the Mission Aviation Fellowship as a pilot in East
Africa. Of all the engineers who contributed to the project, there were two key individuals.
Geoff Byham, with a long term career in Westland, was the Chief Engineer and John Perry, a Canadian originally from
Toronto, who was the Chief Aerodynamicist.
LEADERS OF THE WINNING TEAM
TrevorEgginton
DerekClews
JohnPerry
GeoffByham
Putting the Record Straight,
painting by
David Gibbings MBE, C Eng. FRAeS

8. LYNX BLADE BREAKDOWN
BLADE ROOT ATTACHMENT
Root End Side
Plate
Leading
Edge
Weight
Nose
Moulding
Root Cover Lower Training Edge
Skin & Honeycomb
Erosion
Shield

9. TRAILING EDGE
ASSEMBLY
LEADING EDGE
ASSEMBLY
Leading Edge
Weight Tube
Composite
Nose
Moulding
Composite Side
Wall (Spar)
Foam Core
(Spar)
Composite
Torsion Wraps
(Spar)
Honeycomb
Core (Trailing
Edge)
Erosion
Shield
Tip Cap
(Quadrant
Shield)
Tip Erosion
(PEEK)
Shield
Composite
Sidewall
(Spar)
Composite
Trailing
Edge Skins
SPAR LAY UP

10. THE RESTORATION
After the record attempt G-LYNX was used to develop
the new T800 engines that now power the Super Lynx
300 and the AW159 Wildcat. It was later gifted by the
Company to the Helicopter Museum at Weston-super-
Mare. In 2011, a group of Company apprentices undertook
the restoration of G-LYNX, restoring it to its World Speed
Record configuration and paint scheme. It returned to the
Yeovil site in 2015 for Westland’s Centenary celebrations,
where it took pride of place in the static exhibition in front
of 15,000 guests.
Preparation of the
aircraft prior to painting

11. Restoration
RestorationPre Restoration
Apprentices with
G-LYNX

12. AgustaWestland Limited
Registered and Head Office:
Lysander Road
Yeovil – BA20 2YB - England
Tel. +44 1935 475222
Fax. +44 1935 702132