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.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has awarded Thales a landmark contract to develop a new NexGen Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) and air traffic control radars, marking a major step towar...
Airbus Helicopters officially delivered the first NH90 Standard 2 to the French Armament General Directorate. This new variant of the NH90 TTH was designed specifically for special operations. Fr...
VIC Properties and Vertical Aerospace signed a MoU to explore the future introduction of electric air mobility services in Portugal, with an initial focus on Pinheirinho, the 400-hectar...
Riyadh Air celebrated the launch of its inaugural service between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur, establishing its first gateway into Southeast Asia. The inaugural event was celebrated in both cities, kickin...
