Bell V-280 Valor

Is there something special about how they tilt the rotors? I'm just trying to figure out why they blurred the front of the nacelles in that last video.
 
Sundog said:
Is there something special about how they tilt the rotors? I'm just trying to figure out why they blurred the front of the nacelles in that last video.
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Yeah, that is weird. They've done it a couple times. Maybe the way they get the power from the engine to the rotor is proprietary. (I don't recall seeing a gearbox sitting in there on the photos out there that aren't blurred out.)
 
sferrin said:
Sundog said:
Is there something special about how they tilt the rotors? I'm just trying to figure out why they blurred the front of the nacelles in that last video.
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Yeah, that is weird. They've done it a couple times. Maybe the way they get the power from the engine to the rotor is proprietary. (I don't recall seeing a gearbox sitting in there on the photos out there that aren't blurred out.)
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It is to protect proprietary information no doubt. If you note the legalize at the beginning of the video, the government does not want to accept risk of proprietary leakage.
 
Welcome to the new age of direct energy weapon. It's about reverse engineering dimensions IMOHO
 
Bell V-280 Valor - 75° Rotor Tilt
The Bell V-280 Valor prototype aircraft has successfully achieved controlled conversion from 95 to 75 degree pylon and back – allowing for full hover and low speed agility maneuvering. The aircraft will continue ground run testing at the Bell Helicopter Amarillo Assembly Center where it will undergo a series of functional tests running all aircraft systems and flight controls in preparation for first flight this fall.
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Short Video:
https://youtu.be/kDuUnELk-cU
Code: 
https://youtu.be/kDuUnELk-cU
 
VTOLicious said:
DUBAI: Bell closing in on V-280 first flight
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dubai-bell-closing-in-on-v-280-first-flight-443197/

"The airframer plans to perform a maiden sortie of the V-280 Valor tiltrotor before "the end of the autumn", says Vince Tobin, vice-president military business at Bell, ushering in a frantic period of test activity as part of a broader US Army-led effort."
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Note that from an astronomer's perspective, autumn doesn't end until December 21st. (Meteorologists would say November 30). So the deadline they've set here is probably "first flight before Christmas."
 
TomS said:
VTOLicious said:
DUBAI: Bell closing in on V-280 first flight
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/dubai-bell-closing-in-on-v-280-first-flight-443197/

"The airframer plans to perform a maiden sortie of the V-280 Valor tiltrotor before "the end of the autumn", says Vince Tobin, vice-president military business at Bell, ushering in a frantic period of test activity as part of a broader US Army-led effort."
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Note that from an astronomer's perspective, autumn doesn't end until December 21st. (Meteorologists would say November 30). So the deadline they've set here is probably "first flight before Christmas."
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Concur with your assessment.
 
Congrats to Bell on their first flight of the V-280

https://twitter.com/BellHelicopter/status/942849511004786689

cheers
 
First pictures:
https://twitter.com/NationalDefense/status/942874425879343105
First short Video:
https://youtu.be/Civi4cI1LW4
 
Hovered long enough to get some pictures and a quick video.
 
Interesting that they're still blurring out the gearbox area on the nacelles.
 
ITAR regulations most likely. Somewhat surprised they flew today, it was a pretty gusty day in that part of TX.
 
Before everyone trips over their accolades, lets hope it doesn't take 15 years to appear in service. Its a great idea but lets see if it spends 12 years in needlessly drawn out and purposefully slowed down development.
 
Airplane said:
Before everyone trips over their accolades, lets hope it doesn't take 15 years to appear in service. Its a great idea but lets see if it spends 12 years in needlessly drawn out and purposefully slowed down development.
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When so many don't turn out much more than PowerPoints it's nice to see something new actually fly. That it's a tilt-rotor makes it more so.
 
The SecDef and the Army Chief of Staff have both initiated efforts to accelerate the acquisition timelines. If they can overcome the Legion that is the DoD Bureaucracy, I think you could see introduction of new rotorcraft in ten years or less. Regardless of what the vendors say, the V-280 and the SB-1 are both demonstrators, not prototypes.

That said it sure is good to see a completely new rotorcraft in an Army program flying. First time in over forty years I believe.
 
yasotay said:
The SecDef and the Army Chief of Staff have both initiated efforts to accelerate the acquisition timelines. If they can overcome the Legion that is the DoD Bureaucracy, I think you could see introduction of new rotorcraft in ten years or less. Regardless of what the vendors say, the V-280 and the SB-1 are both demonstrators, not prototypes.

That said it sure is good to see a completely new rotorcraft in an Army program flying. First time in over forty years I believe.
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Comanche was "only" 21 years ago. :eek:
 
sferrin said:
yasotay said:
The SecDef and the Army Chief of Staff have both initiated efforts to accelerate the acquisition timelines. If they can overcome the Legion that is the DoD Bureaucracy, I think you could see introduction of new rotorcraft in ten years or less. Regardless of what the vendors say, the V-280 and the SB-1 are both demonstrators, not prototypes.

That said it sure is good to see a completely new rotorcraft in an Army program flying. First time in over forty years I believe.
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Comanche was "only" 21 years ago. :eek:
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You are correct. I try to mentally block that debacle out. :-\ And I am trying to be positive, counting JMR as leading to a SUCCESSFUL Army program. ....which is probably an oxymoron.
 
yasotay said:
The SecDef and the Army Chief of Staff have both initiated efforts to accelerate the acquisition timelines. If they can overcome the Legion that is the DoD Bureaucracy, I think you could see introduction of new rotorcraft in ten years or less. Regardless of what the vendors say, the V-280 and the SB-1 are both demonstrators, not prototypes.
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Off point but the acquisition in the DoD has become a joke that needs to end if we have any hope of not being overtaken by the Chinese. 7 years between YF22 demonstrator and production F22 first flight as an example. Not to mention 8 years of flight testing.... We've had entire types of AC in our inventory for fewer years! If V-280 follows course it will be introduced in what...? 2032? 2033? If they can bring this to field in 8 years, that would be reasonable.
 
Why? It depicts a fully functional airframe hovering carrefully over the ground. DefNews stated that the flight lasted at least 20min. This is very good.
 
I did NOT say the flight is a disappointment ;)

I was hoping for more video footage... They don't even show the landing
 
Airplane said:
yasotay said:
The SecDef and the Army Chief of Staff have both initiated efforts to accelerate the acquisition timelines. If they can overcome the Legion that is the DoD Bureaucracy, I think you could see introduction of new rotorcraft in ten years or less. Regardless of what the vendors say, the V-280 and the SB-1 are both demonstrators, not prototypes.
Click to expand...

Off point but the acquisition in the DoD has become a joke that needs to end if we have any hope of not being overtaken by the Chinese. 7 years between YF22 demonstrator and production F22 first flight as an example. Not to mention 8 years of flight testing.... We've had entire types of AC in our inventory for fewer years! If V-280 follows course it will be introduced in what...? 2032? 2033? If they can bring this to field in 8 years, that would be reasonable.
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Bell has repeatedly said very publicly that it could deliver in 2025. Sikorsky could no doubt do the same. It is the zero defect, test till death, legality triple check mentality of the DoD GS population that creates the multi-decade drag. But enough of my rage against the man.

I suspect the 280 will start flying regularly in January with mostly hover work. February will see ever increasing transitions toward forward flight and full conversion in March.
 
Oh the irony (courtesy of the alert youtube comments section).
 

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Would be better if that were a "King Stallion" in front of that building. ;D
 

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