Bell Helicopter selects GKN Aerospace to develop fuel tanks for Bell 525 Relentless

Full size mock-up of the Bell 525 Relentless at the 2012 Farnborough International Air Show (Photo: Terry Spruce, Corporate Jet Investor)

GKN Aerospace will create a light weight fuel tank for the new Bell 525 Relentless helicopter.

Full size mock-up of the Bell 525 Relentless at the 2012 Farnborough International Air Show (Photo: Terry Spruce, Corporate Jet Investor)

Bell Helicopter has awarded a multi-million contract to GKN Aerospace to manufacture and supply a light weight fuel tank for the Bell 525 Relentless. This new fuel tank will be the first application of a new high performance material that should bring significant weight reduction to the super-medium helicopter. The bespoke tanks will be manufactured using the company’s newly developed, light weight fuel cell material.

Phil Swash, CEO of GKN Aerospace – Europe & Special Products says: “The Bell 525 Relentless programme is very important to GKN Aerospace as the launch programme for our innovative new fuel cell material. We believe this material establishes a technical advantage in fuel systems technology that will become the industry benchmark.”

The Bell 525 Relentless fuel tanks will be manufactured at the company’s Alabama fuel systems facility. First deliveries of developmental units will be made to Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, later this year.

GKN Aerospace is exhibiting at the NBAA in Las Vegas from 22 – 24 October.