Bell Helicopter flew its 525 “Relentless” super-medium twin for the first time July 1 from its assembly plant in Amarillo, Texas, despite the presence of winds gusting up to 20 knots. The 525 performed hovers and maneuvers to assess low speed controllability with Bell senior test pilots Troy Caudill and Jeff Greenwood at the controls. Caudill said the helicopter performed “extremely well. It flies better than it does in the simulator.”
The 525 is the first commercial helicopter available with sidestick, triple-redundant fly-by-wire controls and the Garmin G5000H touchscreen avionics system. It will be certified to perform Cat-A takeoffs and landings at maximum takeoff weight (mtow). Power comes from a pair of GECT7-2F1 turboshafts (1,800 shp each) driving an all-composite five-blade main rotor system and a four-blade tail rotor.
The new model is Bell’s largest civil helicopter, with a rotor disc of 54.5 feet, and features hybrid aluminum/composite construction. It is expected to have a top cruising speed of 155 knots or greater, a maximum range of 500 nm, an mtow of 19,300 pounds, and a useful load of 7,400 pounds. In high-density configuration there will be seating for up to 20 passengers. The 525 features a 4.5-foot-tall cabin with 88 sq ft of floor space and a 128-cu-ft baggage hold. The 525 will come with a variety of available kits but is aimed primarily at the offshore energy market.
Bell has received orders/letters of intent for more than 60 copies of the 525 since it was announced in 2012. While a price has not been disclosed, it is expected to be in the $20- to $24 million range. Two more test aircraft will join the program this year and an additional two will be added in 2016. Bell expects to receive certification and make customer deliveries in 2017. Earlier this month Bell revealed that the program schedule had slipped by several months due to supplier issues.