Bell Helicopter Bell 505 Jet Ranger X completes first flight with Turbomeca's Arrius 2R

Turbomeca is proud to be part of the Bell Helicopter Bell 505 Jet Ranger X first flight with its new Arrius 2R engine, which is the newest member of the successful Arrius family. The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X took the sky for the first time on 10 November, at the Bell Helicopter Mirabel facility.

Turbomeca Chairman & CEO Olivier Andriès said, “The Bell 505 first flight is a historic milestone for Turbomeca. Our very first cooperation with Bell Helicopter has been a success, and we are honored and delighted that a company with such a high reputation for product quality and support trusts us to support such an important program”.

The development of the Arrius 2R is on track: launched in 2013, the Arrius 2R is following an aggressive development schedule that included a first ground test on April 29 2014 at the company's Bordes factory. FAA, EASA and Transport Canada engine type certifications are planned for the end of 2015.

The Arrius 2R is designed to deliver performance and power within the 500 shaft horsepower range, while improving safety and lowering pilot workload via a Full Authority Dual-channel Engine Control (FADEC). The twin-module configuration helps reduce fuel consumption and leads to lower operating costs.

The engine will be assembled at the Turbomeca USA facility in Dallas,Texas.

More than 3,000 Arrius engines have been sold by Turbomeca, accumulating 6.6 million flight hours for 430 customers in 60 countries. This proven reliability is built into the 2R and reinforced by a 3,000 hour Time-Between-Overhaul to be offered at service entry. The engine will also benefit from Turbomeca's renowned service and support capabilities.

The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X was unveiled last February at the Heli-Expo 2014 convention in Anaheim, California, and approximately 200 letters of intent have already been signed, indicating a high level of market acceptance.