Bell 525 Relentless makes first flight

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Bell Helicopter 525 Relentless takes its first flight

Bell Helicopter has flown its new 525 Relentless for the first time.

The aircraft lifted off on July 1 from the company’s Amarillo, Texas production facility.

ALSO SEE:Bell and Milestone sign LOI for 525 Relentless

During the flight senior flight test pilots Troy Caudill and Jeff Greenwood tested the low speed handling qualities of the new helicopter.

“The first flight test started with taxi testing and manoeuvres and then went into an initial hover, performing various hover manoeuvres and then tested low speed handling qualities with winds gusting to 20 knots,” said Greenwood.

Bell say that they will use five helicopters for the certification programme, with the second and third aircraft due to fly later in 2015, and the fourth and fifth due to fly in 2016.

“The Bell 525 performed extremely well today,” said Troy Caudill, senior flight test pilot at Bell Helicopter. “I am excited to be a part of the development of this advanced aircraft and help define the future of vertical lift.”

Bell issued a couple of short videos with John Garrison, CEO announcing the first flight

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