flight testing
“To generate data that really is in line
with expectations you’ve had for months
is really a testament to the design”
Bell now expects the US Federal
Aviation Administration to
certify the company’s Model 525
super-medium helicopter in 2020.
Cold weather testing to generate certification data sent
two instrumented Flight Test Vehicles and more than a
hundred people to Yellowknife Airport in Canada’s
Northwest Territories from mid-January to the end
of March this year. The 18-seat, transportcategory
Relentless is designed for high
availability in austere environments at
temperatures down to -40°C.
Testers found cold-weather performance
and handling of the 20,500 lb (9.3 mt)
helicopter free of surprises, in large part due to
computer design tools that allowed for
differential material expansion and contraction at
extreme temperatures. According to Bell manager
of technology and evaluation Josh O’Neil, “That’s our
20,500 lb
max takeoff weight of
Bell 525 Relentless
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