Bell selects BAE Systems' fly-by-wire flight control computers for Relentless helicopter
BAE Systems flight control computers provide the ability to safely operate in austere environments with decreased pilot workload. Joe Senftle, vice president of communications and control solutions for BAE Systems, said: “BAE Systems has more than five decades of experience developing and producing flight control and vehicle management systems for all types of aircraft.
“Our industry-leading record of technology innovation, reliability, and successful development programmes will ensure best-in-class operations for the 525 Relentless helicopter.”
The fly-by-wire systems have a proven record in the harshest operating environments in the world. The company’s pioneering technology and continual advancements in the areas of redundancy management, fault-tolerant design, health monitoring systems, and failure mode analysis have established BAE Systems as a world leader in control system reliability and integrity.
Through the strategic relationship announced yesterday, BAE Systems will provide Bell Helicopter with the flight control computers under a systems development and demonstration contract to deliver flight-qualified units to be used for flight test and certification, with follow-on production work over the next five years. The development work will be conducted in the Southern Tier of New York, with production at BAE Systems’ facility in Ft. Wayne, Ind.
The fly-by-wire system provides pilots with the ability to fly demanding missions in uncontrolled environments, without external navigation or landing aids. The system is a full-authority digital flight controller that provides fly-by-wire flight control, integrated flight and propulsion control, aircraft centre-of-gravity computation for stores and fuel contents, structural air loads alleviation, and superior handling performance.
