First Flight In Q3 2006; Cert Planned For '09

Aero-News learned this week that the second Bell/Agusta BA609 prototype started ground runs July 13 at AgustaWestland's facility in Cameri, Italy. Further ground running activities will take place during the next few days in accordance with the test plan, leading up to the tiltrotor's first flight sometime in the third quarter of this year.

Representatives with Bell/Agusta went on to report that BA609 a/c 60003 is already at the AgustaWestland facility in Cameri, and a/c 60004 is on assembly line at Bell's facility in Fort Worth, TX. Bell/Agusta will produce a total of four prototype tiltrotor aircraft for flight-testing in the US and Italy, in order to obtain Transport Category IFR certification status.

Meanwhile, the first test aircraft, BA609 a/c 60001, is continuing to undergo flight test activities at Bell's Flight Research Center, in Arlington, TX where it has already achieved some very important testing milestones -- including flying at a speed of 300 knots and at altitudes up to 25,000 feet.

The dual flight test effort now supports the dual production line plans for parent company facilities in the US and Italy. Dual certification (European and FAA) is planned in 2009 with deliveries following soon after.

Bell/Agusta further states that all parts and components for both lines will come from the exact same source, yielding aircraft that will be identical whether assembled in Italy or Texas. They say this concept will greatly enhance the ease of supporting the BA609.

The current order status remains strong with more than two years of production already committed to our existing backlog (approximately 60 aircraft). The BA609 continues as one of the most highly anticipated aircraft ever; the backlog is expected to grow as flight tests continue and are completed through certification.

To date, certification testing of the BA609 has included over 38,000 equivalent flight hours on a full scale wing, over 54,000 equivalent flight hours of pressurization tests passed for aircraft 60001 allowing flight at 25,000 feet, and bird strike tests passed for the fuselage, wing and tail.

The BA609 will have the new Collins ProLine 21 3-screen display glass cockpit as standard, and will be certified for IFR flight in known icing conditions. BA609 tiltrotor customer training will be conducted at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, TX which will also serve as the initial tiltrotor delivery center.

FMI: www.bellagusta.com/air_ba_main.cfm