The Bell 525 Relentless is continuing to make progress on its long journey towards certification, the manufacturer has said, as a primed offshore market awaits the super medium’s approval.
Speaking during a media briefing ahead of HAI Heli-Expo 2024, Michael Thacker, executive vice president of commercial programs, said that while type inspection authorization (TIA) flight testing continues with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), all that remains are “a handful of flight tests.”
“It’s a relatively small amount relative to everything that’s been done within the programming — less than five percent of the total program remains,” he said.
“In the end, you do get to a point where you turn everything into the FAA and you’re waiting for them to give you the final sign off. We’re not quite to that point, but very close.”
Thacker said the company expects to complete all the required testing for the certification effort in the first half of this year.
Meanwhile, he said Bell is working closely with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, Transport Canada and other regulatory authorities “to ensure smooth validation efforts” following FAA approval.
“We feel confident in the platform’s capabilities and how the aircraft will change the offshore market,” he added.
The first production aircraft is set to roll of the manufacturing line in Amarillo, Texas, later this year, and Thacker said production was “progressing well.”
In terms of naming customers or a delivery schedule, the company is providing few details at this point. However, Danny Maldonado, who recently re-joined Bell as its chief commercial officer, said it was “working several opportunities” with customers.
The experience Bell has gained in developing new technologies for the 525 — which will become the first commercial fly-by-wire helicopter when certified — will be used to benefit the rest of the company’s fleet, he added.
“The ability to increase automation and reduce pilot workload is a track for our innovation development,” said Maldonado. “You’ll see us implementing those across more of our product line going forward.”
Looking back across 2023, Bell delivered 171 commercial aircraft, including 77 505s, 53 407s, 30 429s, and 11 412s.
Maldonado said the Bell Training Academy had one of the highest performing years in its history last year, “and we look forward to having another successful performance in 2024,” he said.
The customer experience will be the focus in 2024, he added, “because without them there is no business.”
“We need to stay engaged with our customers to find out what the requirements are going to be in the near term and long term … and it’s always critical that we meet those requirements.”
This work will include the introduction of additional supplemental type certificates to support the existing fleet, said Maldonado, as well as the addition of new support and training capabilities around the world.
