50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

Bell Helicopter Rolls Out Second 525 Prototype

Download: Printable PDF Date: 04 Sep 2015 09:06 (UTC) category:
Publisher:
Bell Helicopter Rolls Out Second 525 Prototype - Manufacturer publisher
Tatjana Obrazcova
Source: AIN

Bell Helicopter is readying its second super-medium 525 twin for first flight later this year. The first Bell 525 flight-test vehicle made its maiden flight on July 1 at the company's Amarillo, Texas plant.

Larry Roberts, Bell executive vice president for the 525 program, said Ship One had accumulated approximately 40 hours of test flying through the summer and that, other than some minor teething issues related to fault codes, has performed “extremely well.” He added, “It flies better than the simulator.”

Roberts said Bell remains on track to complete flight testing with five ships flying an estimated 1,500 hours by the end of next year. Bell currently holds some 68 letters of intent (LOIs) for the 525 and expects to exceed its goal of 70 LOIs by year-end. The company plans to release an “industry price” for the 525 next year, Roberts told AIN. Bell also plans to unveil the 525's executive interior concept in mockup form at NBAA 2016.





Recommended

KVE celebrates 30 years of innovation and accelerates its growth within the Daher Group

KVE by Daher is marking its 30th anniversary with the inauguration of a significant expansion of its production facility in The Hague — a development that signals the start of a new acceleration...

Global Jet Capital releases its annual 2026 Business Jet Forecast

Global Jet Capital has released its sixth annual Business Jet Market Forecast, outlining a confident outlook for the sector. The updated analysis anticipates steady expansion over the next five years,...

TAROM took delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX

Boeing, TAROM and CDB Aviation have celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first 737‑8, marking the arrival of Romania’s first Boeing 737 MAX and a key milestone in the national carrier&...

Gol connects Europe to El Calafate and Ushuaia through its network in Brazil

Gol Airlines continues to expand its South American reach, leveraging its Brazilian network to open new travel possibilities. European passengers can now access southern Argentina through São P...

Android Apps development in Riga, Latvia