Fifth FTV Will Join Airborne Fleet Later This Year To Perform Function And Reliability Testing

A fourth Bell 525 Flight Test Vehicle has joined the test flight program, with a fifth expected to be flying later this year.

The Bell 525 is the world’s first fly-by-wire commercial helicopter and is designed to operate safely and reliably in austere environments with decreased pilot workload. The aircraft features the first fully-integrated touch screen avionics suite designed for helicopters, the Garmin G5000H.

“This is another significant milestone for the Bell 525 program and a testAment to the hard work being completed at our flight research center,” said Byron Ward, vice president, Bell 525 program. “We are focused on certification and delivering the most technologically advanced helicopter to market.”   

The company anticipates that the Relentless will achieve FAA certification sometime this year.

The Bell 525's specifications include a flight cruise speed at max continuous power and max gross weight of 155+ kts, a range of 500+ nm and a useful load of 7,400+ lbs. The maximum gross weight for the Relentless is 19,300+ lbs (8,754 kg). The Bell 525 Relentless can also perform CAT-A take offs and landings to and from a helipad at maximum gross weight on a hot day.

(Image provided with Bell Helicopter media advisory)

FMI: www.txtav.com