The Bell/Agusta 609 has begun its first ground runs in preparation for first flight. Ground runs for the world’s first commercially available tiltrotor are being conducted at Bell’s Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas.

The BA609 will undergo 40 to 50 hours of aircraft ground run testing prior to its first flight. During

this process all of the aircraft systems will be tested and thoroughly checked. Changes will be made if required. No date has been set yet for the first flight.

“Today is a new benchmark date in aviation history,” declared Bell Helicopter’s chairman and ceo John Murphey, adding, “with 70 orders from 40 customers in 18 countries, there is no doubt the BA609 will revolutionise air transportation.”

With its rotors in the vertical position, the tiltrotor is able to take-off, land and hover like a traditional helicopter. When the rotors are tilted forward to the horizontal position, the aircraft is able to fly with the speed and range of a turboprop fixed wing aeroplane. The transition from helicopter mode to aeroplane mode takes 20 seconds, as does the transition in reverse.

A spokesman added: “This versatile capability enables the BA609 to fly with twice the speed and range of conventional helicopters.”

The BA609, a six to nine passenger aircraft, is expected to be certified by the FAA in 2007 with first deliveries to begin immediately thereafter.

Final assembly for production aircraft will take place at Bell’s Amarillo, Texas, facility with another assembly line to be established at the Agusta plant in Italy.

BA 609 customer training will be conducted at Fort Worth, which will also serve as a delivery centre. The aircraft will cruise at 275 knots with a maximum unrefuelled range of 750 nautical miles, 1,000 nautical miles with auxiliary fuel tanks.