The Bell 525's maiden flight was planned for late 2014. PHI, Inc. was the launch customer for the type, but as of 2016 is no longer the launch customer. After a six-month delay, the Bell 525 prototype first flew in July 2015. At that time, Bell predicted certification to be completed by the end of 2017. The FAA suggested special rules in May 2016, to address the fly-by-wire concept.
July 2016 crash
At approximately 11:48 AM Central Daylight Time on July 6, 2016, the prototype crashed during a test flight near Italy, Texas, killing the two occupants. The aircraft, carrying registration N525TA, broke up in flight while traveling about at an altitude of about. The crash delayed certification from 2017 to 2018. In February 2018, Bell predicted certification to be completed by late 2018 or early 2019. In December 2018, 1,300 hours of turn time and 900 hr of flight were accumulated, towards a 2019 US type certification. In early 2019, two helicopters will be tested in cold weather in Yellowknife, Canada, as a third prototype will validate performance in snowy north continental US.
Intended market and related development
Bell is pitching the Bell 525 to military customers as a 20-passenger utility and troop transport or search and rescue aircraft. The company is also offering the Bell 360 Invictus military helicopter that uses a scaled down rotor system, fly by-wire system, and control systems from the Bell 525 for the U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program. Oil and gas company Wintershall Dea and Bell in January 2020 signed a non-binding collaboration agreement looking into the possibility of introducing a new and safer helicopter on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Design
The Bell 525 is designed to meet a requirement for a medium-lift helicopter. It will be constructed primarily from composites and metal and is to be the first commercial helicopter to incorporate fly-by-wire flight controls, with tactile cues. The system is triple redundant, and is developed in two simulator environments. The 525 is powered by a pair of GE CT7-2F1turboshaft engines, with a new composite five-blade main rotor system. The cost of the 525 has not yet been determined, but it is expected to be cost competitive on missions between 50 and 400 nmi, performed by helicopters such as the AgustaWestland AW139 and Sikorsky S-92. The Bell 525 is designed to fit the emerging "Super-Medium" size category suited ideally to support offshore oil and gas operations. Half of the customers come from that sector. Helicopters under development in the same class are the Airbus Helicopters H175 and the AgustaWestland AW189. The 525 is to be certified in Category A Takeoff class, at maximum gross weight. This involves being able to continue a takeoff after one of the helicopter's two turbine engines fails at any point. It should be capable of carrying 19 passengers, more than any existing super-medium helicopter. Its website states it is designed for "up to 20 passengers" and it offers a flat cabin floor configurable with 16 seats.
