Bell V-280 Valor – First Year of Flight Proves the Future of Vertical Lift is Now

December 18, 2018

The success of this cooperative effort demonstrates the ability to rapidly deliver revolutionary vertical lift capability to combat national security threats

Fort Worth, Texas (December 18, 2018) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, and Team Valor marked the anniversary of the V-280 Valor’s first flight by continuing to prove the aircraft’s performance and technical maturity. As part of the U.S. Army led Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) program, the V-280 demonstrates that close collaboration between government and industry can deliver transformational speed, range and agility in vertical lift, in a fast and sustainable process.

“I am proud of the team’s remarkable accomplishments during the first year of flight,” said President and CEO Mitch Snyder. “By working with the government, we continue to prove the V-280 is the agile aircraft that our military needs now.”

In nearly 85 hours of flight and more than 180 rotor turn hours, some V-280 flight testing milestones are:

  • Forward flight at 250 knots true airspeed
  • In-flight transitions between cruise mode and vertical takeoff and landing
  • 50-degree banked turns at 200 knots indicated airspeed
  • 4500 feet per minute rate of climb and sustained flight at 11,500 feet altitude
  • Single flight ferry flight of over 370 miles
  • Demonstrated low and high-speed agility with fly-by-wire controls

The V-280 continues to expand the envelope in flight testing and expects to complete all the key performance parameters in the coming months, including additional low-speed agility tests and full cruise speed in forward flight.

“This anniversary is an important milestone as we provide options for the U.S. Army to meet its vision for a modernized force in the near future and regain overmatch in vertical lift,” said Vince Tobin, executive vice president for military business at Bell. “We are prepared to field a suitable, affordable and sustainable aircraft to meet that accelerated timeframe.”

With twice the speed and range of existing helicopters, the Bell V-280 Valor is digitally-designed to provide decisive battlefield advantages with superior agility, payload, and reliability that will vastly increase warfighter survivability and lethality.

To see updates on the V-280 Valor and learn more on the capabilities, please visit https://www.bellflight.com/military/bell-v-280, and follow us on YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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MICHAEL REILLY
mreilly@bellflight.com
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ABOUT BELL
Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 80 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were aboard NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of on-demand mobility. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.

ABOUT TEXTRON INC.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Textron Off Road, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses or delays in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; and our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers.

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David Rosenberg, Vice President, Investor Relations
(401) 457-2288
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(401) 457-2288

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