Rotorcraft
Bell's 525 Relentless Logs First Flight
The new super-medium twin features sidestick fly-by-wire controls.
Bell's 525 Relentless made its first flight in Texas on July 1. (Photo: Bell Helicopter)
Bell's 525 Relentless made its first flight in Texas on July 1. (Photo: Bell Helicopter)

After 21 hours of ground testing, Bell Helicopter flew the 525 Relentless super-medium twin for the first time July 1 from its assembly plant in Amarillo, Texas. Despite wind gusting to 20 knots, the 525 taxied, hovered and flew maneuvers to assess low-speed controllability with Bell senior test pilots Troy Caudill and Jeff Greenwood at the controls. Caudill said the helicopter performed “extremely well. It flies better than it does in the simulator.”


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