TEAM VALOR LANDS AWARD FOR BEST FLIGHT TEST PAPER

Presented during the 49th International Symposium of Flight Test Engineers.

07 November 2018

During the 49th International Symposium of Flight Test Engineers, the Bell V-280 Valor team received the best paper award in the category for “Certification at Warp Speed.” The paper, “V-280 Valor First Flight Build-up:  Preparing for a Technology Demonstration” explains how the V-280 worked through a deliberate program schedule to achieve its first flight nearly a year ago.

This paper exemplified the symposium theme of “Tomorrow’s Flight Test.” The Bell team showed how they, alongside all of Team Valor, applied experimental risk management to prepare for, and execute the build-up testing required to achieve first flight of this revolutionary technology demonstrator in a short period of time.

Video of that historic flight:

The team explained throughout the program the goal was to inform the requirements and reduce risk for a Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program of record. The paper also offered conclusions from their work that could impact future flight testing efforts and the importance of flexibility during flight test execution.

Colin Miller, Gulfstream Vice President of Flight Operations (left) presents the award to Bell's Kevin Christensen and Errick Smith.

Please join us in congratulating the paper authors:

Errick Smith, Experimental Flight Test Engineer

Kevin Christensen, Test & Evaluation Manager

Don Grove, Tiltrotor Chief Pilot

Paul Ryan, Experimental Test Pilot

NEW ADVANCED VERTICAL LIFT CENTER SHOWCASES BELL’S INNOVATIVE FLIGHT SOLUTIONS

The location offers demonstrations and expertise on how new aviation technology can deliver solutions for customers’ most pressing mission demands

©Bell Textron

Crystal City, Va. (May 23, 2018) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, opened its new Advanced Vertical Lift Center (AVLC) today in the Washington, D.C. metro area. This office provides a unique setting for Bell’s military customers, partners and policy makers to interact with technology that is defining the future of vertical lift (FVL). Bell is increasing its presence in the region to offer opportunities for leaders to understand how advanced aviation technology such as the V-280 Valor can meet the urgent needs of the warfighter.

“We have a long-standing history of forward thinking, and we are committed to delivering overmatch capabilities to our military. The AVLC was designed so we can demonstrate innovative and breakthrough technologies to those involved with national security interests.”

Mitch Snyder, CEO, Bell
The new AVLC provides a customer-focused experience that explores Bell’s latest manned and unmanned solutions that build on the company’s long history of partnership with the government. The interactive demonstration and event space incorporates several options to discover the benefits of Bell’s advancements in aviation, including:
Flight Simulator where users take control of the V-280 Valor and experience the agility and speed of the world’s latest tiltrotor technologies; Mission Table that delivers an interactive and visual representation of how complex operational requirements can be met with the revolutionary speed, range and lethality the V-280 delivers as a solution for the government’s FVL program; Augmented Reality demonstration that shows how the use of Bell’s digital thread technology impacts design, build, and sustainment by bringing hands-on training and maintenance support to the most remote locations; and Virtual Reality experience focused on giving operators and decision makers an immersive look at how the V-280 is designed to deliver tactical overmatch.
“We are committed to helping our customers regain dominance in vertical lift, and the AVLC is an opportunity for our team to show real solutions for pressing challenges using the power of flight,” said Jeff Schloesser, executive vice president for Strategic Pursuits at Bell. “We have to create and sustainably deliver new capabilities, such as the V-280, for warfighters to have operational overmatch. We intend for this office to support our nation’s military modernization.”
The Bell AVLC serves as a hub for aviation and policy decision makers to experience how Bell’s innovative solutions can solve critical real-world challenges.