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testing talk
“The V-280 offers a solution
that is tailored to the Army’s
long range assault missions”
around the aircraft which provides a
360°-spherical situational awareness and
threat detection capability for the pilot.
Essentially, it allows the pilot to look
through the aircraft. PDAS has been
developed by our team mates at Lockheed
Martin, and its integration is letting us
demonstrate the open architecture nature
of the V-280.
The aircraft uses open software
standards that allow for the rapid
integration of new mission systems and
components into the aircraft. PDAS is an
example of that.
WHAT KIND OF IMPACT WILL THE
V PROGRAM HAVE ON THE
US MILITARY?
We believe we offer a solution that is
tailored to the Army’s long range assault
missions. It provides the unmatched
speed and range capability of a tiltrotor,
with the hover payload performance and
agility of a vertical lift platform.
JMR-TD ends this year and the next
step is to support the US Army and the
Department of Defense as they work to
determine the next steps in the
acquisition process.
DO YOU THINK WE WILL SEE MORE
TILTROTORS IN THE FUTURE?
We see increased usage in both the
defense and commercial sector. The V-22
already has over 450,000 flight hours. It’s
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a proven platform. The V-280 delivers the nextgeneration
of tiltrotor for the US Army. Bell has vertical
lift solutions that will support the mission requirements
for any customer. That could be a tiltrotor or a helicopter,
or an alternative configuration in the emerging
on-demand mobility area.
WHAT’S YOUR TYPICAL DAY LIKE?
It’s always fun and exciting. We have a great team and a
great aircraft. There is nowhere else I’d rather be in the
aerospace and defense industry than working at Bell on
this program. It’s shaping the future of vertical lift for
the next several decades.
My responsibilities include everything from helping
support the aircraft in test operations, engaging with the
customer, Team Valor partners and suppliers, and
working with our team to make progress every day on
the aircraft.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND A CAREER IN AVIATION
TEST AND DEVELOPMENT?
I’ve worked in traditional helicopters as well as on the
V-280. My background is in flight controls and vehicle
systems and I would absolutely recommend a career
in aerospace.
We are at a unique time in our history in aviation.
There are opportunities in future vertical lift, as we look
to upgrade with new technologies across the military
inventory. In the commercial space there are
opportunities in on-demand mobility in terms of eVTOL
(electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) platforms, air
taxis and autonomous transportation.
There are so many technologies emerging and such
change in the industry, there are exciting opportunities
ahead for the next several decades. \\
We then vet the system, conducting
normal operations and injecting failures.
The pilot is in the loop during this testing
to ensure the system performs as
intended, is fault-tolerant and provides
full controllability of the aircraft.
HOW IS THE V PROGRAM
SIMILAR TO A COMMERCIAL
TESTING PROGRAM?
The burden of proof for safety-of-flight is
no different for a technology
demonstrator program compared to a
commercial certification program. The
same level of investment in our 525 civil
helicopter program has been carried over
into our V-280 systems integration lab.
The product has to be safe to fly. Use of
the lab also means when we get to flight
testing there is reduced discovery of
issues. It enables a safer, more efficient
and effective test program.
System and component testing for
fatigue, environment, and performance
are also similar to a commercial program.
There are best practices for the rotorcraft
vibration environment versus fixed-wing
in how to design components.
Qualification testing is then carried out to
those higher requirement levels.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE
PILOTAGE DISTRIBUTED APERTURE
SENSOR PDAS ON THE AIRCRAFT?
PDAS is a system of six sensors installed
3 // The rotorcraft is
designed to meet US Army
requirements for fast attack
while also having agility in
hover mode
3
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