Rotorcraft
Bell V-280 Makes First Cruise Flight
Achieves forward speed of 190 knots
The Bell V-280 Valor made its first cruise flight last week, achieving 190 knots. The envelope will be expanded gradually as the tiltrotor advances towards its 280-knot max speed.
The Bell V-280 Valor made its first cruise flight last week, achieving 190 knots. The envelope will be expanded gradually as the tiltrotor advances towards its 280-knot max speed.

Bell’s V-280 Valor military tiltrotor prototype flew in cruise mode for the first time last week during a test flight at the company’s facility in Amarillo, Texas. The proprotors were moved to the zero-degree setting for forward flight. Airspeed was limited to 190 knots. A Bell spokesman said the company will gradually expand the V-280’s flight envelope to achieve its performance goal of a maximum speed of 280 knots.