Announced with much fanfare at Heli-Expo 2012, the 525 represents a significant departure for Bell in many of the companys design and marketing practices, as well as the employment of some of the most advanced systems ever incorporated into a commercial helicopter.
First, the idea was put out there for an all-new, clean sheet, medium-class helicopter that could do the work of a heavy-class ship, with the goal of offering more passenger capacity, more speed, and more range to service the increasingly deep and distant offshore oil-and-gas market. Not surprisingly, to capture more market share, other key disciplines such as corporate and VIP , helicopter emergency medical services, firefighting, and search and rescue were also targeted.
The 525 Relentless will be in the 18,000-poundgross- weight class, with construction being a roughly 50/50 combination of metal and composites. General Electric CT 7-2F1 engines will be driving a five-bladed main rotor system. Bell is stating cruise speeds in the 140-plus-knot realm, and cruise distances of over 400 nautical miles. The standard configuration will be seating for 16 passengers, plus two pilots.
First flight is targeted for some time in 2014 and certification will be as soon as possible after that. Read the full article here.
Verticle Magazine//A Better Build//01-18-2013//Guy. R. Maher
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For more information on the new Bell 525 Relentless or other Rotor-Wing Aircraft, contact us at: aviation@dilellainternational.com
