New Atlas

Aircraft Audio available

V-280 Valor masters slow hover to meet Army handling requirements

David Szondy May 21, 2019

The Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft has completed a milestone hover and low-speed agility key performance parameter (KPP) test. Part of the US Army-led JMR TD program, the test flights were reportedly completed ahead of schedule and show that the Valor meets Army performance requirements.

The V-280 Valor has passed its latest series of low-speed agility tests

Military Audio available

Lockheed system gives V-280 Valor tiltrotor pilots 360-degree vision

David Szondy April 15, 2019

Merging two cutting-edge technologies, Lockheed Martin flew its Pilotage Distributed Aperture Sensor system aboard a Bell V-280 Valor last month. The multi-functional sensor system collects high-resolution images from around the aircraft, providing the flight crew with a 360-degree view.

The Bell V-280 Valor rotorcraft carried the Lockheed Martin PDAS for the first time last month

Aircraft Audio available

Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor hits namesake 280 knots for the first time

David Szondy January 24, 2019

Bell's V-280 Valor tiltrotor combat aircraft lived up to its name on Wednesday as it pegged the speedometer at a true airspeed of 280 knots (322 mph, 518 km/h), or twice that of conventional rotorcraft. The flight took place at the company's Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas.

The Bell V-280 tiltrotor reached a true airspeed of 280 knots in a test flight this ...

Automotive

Gallery: The superlative, forward-looking cars and travel machines of CES 2019

C.C. Weiss January 14, 2019

Before coming back down to earth with the start of this week's NAIAS, the mobility industry spent some time in bright, blue sky at CES 2019. Forget cars ready to drive home off the lot, CES was focused on vessels and systems built to shift paradigms and solve emerging transportation issues.

Probably the most sensational vehicle at all of CES, the Bell Nexus concept

Aircraft

Bell bounces into CES with a tilt-rotor air taxi concept

Nick Lavars January 7, 2019

The flying taxi space is becoming pretty crowded with what you could call audacious vehicle concepts, and Bell has just dropped another one at CES in Las Vegas. The newly unveiled Nexus is a look at the future of transport that turns to a tilting six-rotor design.

A render of Bell's Nexus flying taxi in flight

Aircraft

Bell V-280 goes into first cruise flight

David Szondy May 16, 2018

Bell's experimental V-280 Valor has made its first cruise flight. A video released by the company shows the tilt-rotor aircraft flying with its propellers tilted to forward for the first time on May 11, when it reached a top speed of 190 knots (218 mph, 352 km/h)

Aircraft

Bell Helicopter lands at CES with air taxi cabin concept

Nick Lavars January 10, 2018

Lately Bell Helicopter has been letting its imagination run wild just a little. The company has now dropped into CES with flying taxi cabin design that it says demonstrates its vision for on-demand aircraft that carry people over urban centers.

Bell Helicopter has dropped into CES in Las Vegas this week with a flying taxi cabin ...

Aircraft

Maiden flight for Bell V-280 Valor tilt-rotor

David Szondy December 18, 2017

Bell Helicopter's V-280 Valor tilt-rotor aircraft has taken to the skies for the first time. The December 18 flight at the company's Amarillo Assembly Center in Texas comes only a little over two months after the prototype made its first tethered flight at the same location.

Aircraft

Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor revs to full power

David Szondy October 10, 2017

Bell Helicopter's V-280 Valor has reached 100 percent rotor RPMs during a tethered ground run test. The tiltrotor, which is capable of reaching twice the speed and range of present helicopters, is expected to make its first flight later this year.

The V-280 Valor reached full RPMs during a tethered ground test

Aircraft

Bell flies into the future with first concept helicopter

David Szondy March 8, 2017

Bell Helicopter has dipped its toes in the concept waters for the first time with the FCX-001. Unveiled at Heli-Expo 2017, the rotorcraft concept features an airframe crafted from sustainable materials, a hybrid power system, an artificial intelligence co-pilot, and morphing rotor blades.

Artist's impression of the Bell FCX-001 concept rotorcraft