Bell is proposing a specialized instrument flight rules (IFR) version of its Bell 505 Jet Ranger X to address the emerging requirement of the U.S. Army for updating its rotary-wing training fleet. The airframe manufacturer intends to submit a proposal in response to an anticipated industry request for proposals (RFP), expected as early as April, with a "purpose-built" 505 model for the Army's Flight School Next initiative.
This model may potentially replace the Army's twin-engine UH-72 Lakota Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), which is currently utilized for rotary-wing training at the Army's Aviation Center of Excellence in Fort Novosel, Alabama.
Carl Coffman, Vice President of Military Sales and Strategy at Bell, informed journalists on the eve of the rotorcraft industry's assembly at Vertical Aviation International's (VAI) Verticon exhibition on March 10 that the company intends to be "disruptive" with its proposed solution. He stated that Bell would offer the Army an "efficient, effective flight training model that leverages advanced learning techniques, simulations, and a purpose-built 505."
Coffman said the aircraft would allow Army rotorcraft flight training to get back to basics by fostering proficient stick and rudder and tail rotor skills while familiarizing new aviators with advanced cockpits.
The Army launched its Flight School Next initiative last year due to concerns about the growing cost of operation and availability of the Lakota, and concerns that learning on such a complex aircraft could lead to a loss of basic flying skills.
Coffman said the Army was “very interested” in the Bell proposal because it got pilots back to the basics of “flying seat of the pants,” while the Garmin avionics system onboard would help pilots transition to a more advanced aircraft. Bell claims that pilots could be trained on the 505 for half the price of training them on the Lakota.
The Army has chosen several industry partners for a trial where a limited number of personnel will undergo various training paths before returning to the service’s rotary-wing training school at Fort Novosel, Alabama. Upon their return, the Army will assess the outcomes against the current standard, according to a service official. However, Bell will not be involved in these initial trials, as participation would disqualify the company from the Flight School Next competition, where participants could potentially have an unfair advantage.
Bell 505s are gaining popularity among international militaries for rotary-wing training, with the model already in service in Iraq, Jordan, and South Korea. Bell is developing the IFR-capable 505 and aims to secure FAA certification later this year, also planning to offer this capability to the civil market. If chosen, the aircraft would still be manufactured at its commercial helicopter assembly facility in Mirabel, Canada, according to Coffman. Previously, when Bell proposed the Bell 407GXi for the U.S. Navy’s training requirements, the company suggested constructing the aircraft in Ozark, Alabama. “This is still a U.S. aircraft,” Coffman stated. “It’s not solely about where the aircraft’s final assembly occurs.”
The Lakota was incorporated into the training program as part of the Army’s Aviation Restructuring Initiative. This initiative determined that the glass cockpit UH-72 would be the most suitable platform for student pilots transitioning to the Army’s operational fleet, which includes AH-64 Apaches, UH-60 Black Hawks, and CH-47 Chinooks. Before the introduction of the Lakota, the Army trained its pilots using the single-engine Bell TH-67 Creek, a variant of the Bell 206 Jet Ranger and the OH-58 Kiowa.
Robinson Helicopters has also said it plans to compete its R66 turbine light helicopter for the program. “The RFP could go in a lot of different directions, but I think from everything that we hear, our product is the perfect platform for them,” Robinson CEO David Smith said. Aside from the R66’s lower baseline operating costs of around $410 per hour compared to around $5,000 per hour for the sophisticated twin, Smith added, “we are the most American-made product. We are the highest rate production product, and we are the most popular product for the light singles ... all these things are true.”
