Report: Bell Meets Army Flight Requirements in V-280 Demo

Bell's V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft met the U.S. Army’s handling requirements during the latest series of flight demonstrations, Flightglobal reported Tuesday.

In early May, the Textron subsidiary conducted low-speed pitch, roll and yaw maneuvers with the helicopter at its Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas.

The V-280 achieved the company’s modeling predictions as well as the level 1 handling qualities requirements of the Army for military aircraft. 

“It gives you better agility at the X or at the landing zone,” said Ryan Ehinger, V-280 program manager at Bell. “Level 1 essentially means we are as good as or better than the H-60 [Black Hawk]”

The company is hoping the flight test results will encourage the service branch to consider the aircraft for its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft program.

Ehinger said upcoming tests will focus on operational maneuvers and autonomous operations