Bell/Agusta BA609
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The Bell/Agusta BA609 is a civil twin-engined tiltrotor VTOL aircraft with a configuration similar to the Bell Helicopter Textron/Boeing V-22 Osprey. It is being developed by Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company (BAAC), a joint venture between Bell and AgustaWestland.
History
The first ground tests of the BA609 began December 6 2002. The first flight took place on March 6 2003 in Arlington (Texas/USA) with Roy Hopkins and Dwayne Williams at the controls. In June 2005 it performed the "Return to flight", expanding the flight envelope and tilting the nacelles. The aircraft is laid out for 1-2 crew members and up to 9 passengers. BAAC officials claim that 65 airplanes were ordered (as of July 2004). On July 22, 2005, the BA609 performed its first conversion to airplane mode in flight being the first civil aircraft in history to perform this feat.
General Characteristics
- Propulsion: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67A @ 1447 kW
- Dimension:
- Length: 13.31 m
- Height: 4.5 m
- Wingspan: 10 m
- Rotor diameter: 7.93 m
- Weight:
- Empty: 4765 kg
- Payload: 2500 kg
- Max: 7260 kg
- Max cruise speed: 510 km/h
- Service ceiling: 7625 m
- Range: 1390 km
- Cost: 10 Mio USD
- Operating cost: 875 USD/h
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