Bell 505's second flight test vehicle achieves first flight

Bell Helicopter’s second 505 Jet Ranger X test flight vehicle takes its first flight. Bell Helicopter Photo

Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, has announced the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X’s second flight test vehicle has successfully achieved its first flight. The Bell 505’s flight test vehicle one completed its first flight in November of last year, and the program has quickly progressed, performing additional flight tests and numerous practice autorotations.

“We are so excited to announce this accomplishment to our customers eagerly awaiting their aircraft. This puts us one step closer to certification and production,” said David Smith, program director of the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X. “The aircraft performed incredibly well, successfully demonstrating a low speed traffic pattern at 60 knots.”

The Bell 505 was designed based on extensive input provided by a Customer Advisory Council (CAC). Bell Helicopter unveiled the Jet Ranger X at Heli-Expo 2014 in February and has already received more than 300 letters of intent for the new model.

“We continue to make excellent progress with the flight test program and are working to assess key operational scenarios customers may be faced with,” added Smith.

The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X blends the proven systems of the Bell 206 with advanced technology and a sleek, modern design. The Garmin G1000H Integrated Avionics Suite provides pilots critical flight information at a glance to maximize situational awareness. Pilot workload is further reduced by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine with dual channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). These features, combined with the aircraft’s high inertia rotor which delivers superior autorotation capability, and a newly designed cabin seating five passengers place safety, performance and affordability at the forefront.