Bell Helicopter (Booth N2132) plans to unveil a mockup of its new 525 super-medium twin fitted with a VIP interior at the NBAA Convention, but not until next year’s show. Right now Bell is working on several concepts in-house, including the one pictured with this article, and with outside suppliers including Mecaer (Booth N2516). That company collaborated with Bell on developing a VVIP interior that was recently certified in several countries for Bell’s 429 light twin.
In standard and high-density configurations, the 525 features seating for up to 16 or 20 passengers, respectively. Layouts for corporate, VIP and VVIP/head-of-state are expected to accommodate six-to-12 passengers and to incorporate all the entertainment, information and high-speed-connectivity equipment that are found on the latest private jets. Entry to the 525’s 4.5-foot-tall cabin is through a pair of hinged doors located between the cockpit and the first of four seating areas, or through two large aft-sliding doors. The cabin features 88 sq ft of floor space and a 128-cu-ft baggage hold, bigger than the luggage compartments on even some large-cabin corporate jets.
The 525 is comparatively fast with a top speed of 155 knots. Power comes from a pair of GECT7-2F1 turboshafts (1,800 shp each) driving an all-composite five-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor. The 525 is Bell’s largest civil helicopter, with a rotor disc diameter of 54.5 feet, and features hybrid aluminum/composite construction. It is expected to have a range of 500 nm, maximum takeoff weight of 19,300 pounds and a useful load of 7,400 pounds. The 525 features computerized fly-by-wire controls and touchscreen Garmin G5000H avionics. Gone are the traditional cyclic sticks between the pilots’ legs, and the cockpit is equipped with sidestick controls. The pilots’ seats swivel into position for ease of egress. Ahead of them is a low-slung digital instrument panel and an enormous field of Plexiglas that affords wide visibility over the nose and down to the ground.
Bell announced the 525 program in 2012. In addition to the corporate and VIP market, the company envisions a variety of uses for the helicopter, including offshore energy, law-enforcement, air-ambulance and search-and-rescue and coastal-patrol work. The first 525 took to the air on July 1, and several more test aircraft are currently being assembled.
Larry Roberts, vice president of sales and marketing for the 525, 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 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.
Roberts said, “When we did our market analysis for the 525 back in 2010, our goal was to create a helicopter that we could place in that sweet spot between the mediums and the super heavies. The 525 allows our customers to do everything they can do with a medium or a competitor’s super-medium and quite a bit, about 60 percent, of what they are doing with the heavies. It gives them a good slot position to take care of both the lighter and the heavier ends of the work. They recognize that when you have super heavies flying out beyond 200 miles, most of the time, they only have six to eight passengers on board. Because of the 525’s fuel capacity and flight economics, we are able to carry six to eight people out 250 nautical miles, depending on the cargo load. So we think we will be very competitive with what the heavies, mediums or super-mediums can do, and that is very attractive.”