Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced that the Genesys HeliSAS autopilot in the Bell 505 has received certification from the United Kingdom’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). It is available in two or three-axis configurations: the two-axis version includes pitch control (altitude hold, IAS Hold) and roll control (HDG hold, NAV, vertical navigation mode), and the three-axis option adds yaw control. With the latest Garmin avionics, dual channel FADEC-controlled engine and Genesys HeliSAS autopilot, the Bell 505 is the most advanced short light single aircraft on the market.
“We are thrilled to offer the Genesys autopilot for the 505 to our customers in the UK,” said Duncan Van De Velde, managing director, Europe and Russia. “The system decreases pilot workload, increases pilot comfort over long distances, and provides assistance in the event of inadvertent Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC).”
“The UK has been eagerly waiting for autopilot certification for the 505,” said Gary Slater, director and owner, Helix AV. “This is great news for the Bell 505 and further enhances the performance of the aircraft.”
In addition, the system is equipped with:
Stability augmentation system to automatically recover the aircraft to near-level flight attitude at all speeds in the event of adverse roll or pitch
Stability engagement throughout all phases of flight
Envelope protection to prevent over speeding and under speeding
Owners can specify the system on new Bell 505s or have the system retrofitted to existing aircraft through a Genesys Aerosystems approved dealer.
The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X (JRX) is an American/Canadian light helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter and produced by Bell Textron Canada. The Bell 505 was unveiled at the 2013 Paris Airshow in June 2013 as the Bell SLS (Short Light Single). The Bell 505 designation was officially announced in February 2014. Its first flight occurred on November 11, 2014. The helicopter was certified by Transport Canada in December 2016. There are more than 300 Bell 505s operating in more than 55 countries across all six continents. These new helicopter also used to train military in the area.
