Bell showcases High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) technology capabilities upon completion of testing efforts at Holloman Air Force Base. The team has utilised the Holloman High-Speed Test Track to demonstrate the folding rotor, integrated propulsion, and flight control technologies at representative flight speeds.
“The successful sled test completion is a culmination of Bell’s HSVTOL research and unprecedented technology development,” said Jason Hurst, Executive Vice President, Engineering. “The technology demonstration provides Bell with critical experience and knowledge that will inform our X-plane development for DARPA’s SPRINT programme. It is a pivotal step in creating the next generation of high-speed vertical lift aircraft for future warfighters.”
The SPRINT programme aims to design, build, and fly an X-Plane, an experimental aircraft to demonstrate enabling technologies and integrated concepts necessary for a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence for the next generation of air mobility platforms.
