Bell Helicopter has performed the maiden sortie of its second 505 Jet Ranger X flight-test vehicle from its Mirabel, Canada facility.
It joins the initial flying prototype – C-FTVI – which took to the skies in November last year and has since been used for the first batch of certification testing, including autorotation trials. Approval and service entry are scheduled for late 2015, says Bell.
Bell Helicopter
“This puts us one step closer to certification and production," says David Smith, programme director for the Jet Ranger X. “The aircraft performed incredibly well, successfully demonstrating a low-speed traffic pattern at 60kt [110km/h].”
The Jet Ranger X programme was originally launched at the Paris air show in 2012 and is powered by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine. Seen as a direct competitor to the Robinson Helicopter R66, the 505 – priced at around $1 million – has already accumulated 300 letters of intent from potential customers.
Bell Helicopter
“We continue to make excellent progress with the flight-test programme and are working to assess key operational scenarios customers may be faced with,” Smith says.
The rapid development of the new helicopter has been aided by borrowing systems and parts such as the main rotor and other components from the in-service Bell 206. The Jet Ranger X also incorporates a Garmin G1000H glass cockpit.
Bell Helicopter
Source: FlightGlobal.com
