“First flight demonstrates our commitment to supporting the Department of Defense leadership’s modernisation priorities and acquisition reform initiatives. The V-280 competes with the Lockheed Martin. “This is an exciting time for Bell Helicopter, and I could not be more proud of the progress we have made with the first flight of the Bell V-280,” added Snyder. Textron division Bell is preparing for a decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), for which it is bidding the V-280 Valor tiltrotor. The V-280 is being developed by Team Valor (which includes representatives from Bell, Lockheed Martin, GE and Moog) for the US Army as part of the Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator programme. “The V-280 intends to completely transform what is possible for the military when it comes to battle planning and forward operations.” Part of the US Army-led Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator. Bells flight-proven V-280 Valor design advances. The Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft has completed a milestone hover and low-speed agility key performance parameter (KPP) test.
“We are thrilled to share in this success of the V-280 first flight with Team Valor,” said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO of Bell Helicopter. This new contract is an important milestone and testament to the continued momentum for Army modernization.
The V-280 does not seem to have conducted any forward flight – as seen in the video of the flight by Bell. The next-generation military tiltrotor design took off vertically, hovered, then landed. Bell’s new tiltrotor aircraft, the V-280 Valor, has flown for the first time at Amarillo, Texas.