Bell 525 completes hot weather testing

The Bell 525 program recently completed hot weather testing in Yuma, Arizona at temperatures up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit as well as high altitude operations to density altitudes of 14,000 feet.

Earlier this year, the Bell 525 completed cold weather testing at temperatures down to minus 37 degrees Fahrenheit in North Manitoba, Canada.

The Bell 525 flight test program has now accumulated over 1,000 hours of total test time with speeds exceeding 200kts at maximum gross weight limits. The aircraft performance continues to meet or exceed all design specifications.

The Bell 525 is preparing for FAA flight test participation in Q4 2018 and continues to make strong progress towards planned certification in 2019.

"We successfully completed the hot weather testing last week in Yuma, Arizona," said Troy Caudill, chief test pilot, Bell 525 program. "The aircraft performed very well and we are gathering test data for certification."