Turbomeca Delivers First Arrius 2R Engine To Bell Helicopter

Turbomeca (Safran) has delivered the first Arrius 2R engine to Bell Helicopter in August 2015, on schedule.

Selected to power the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, the Arrius 2R is the only turbine in the 500 shp range to feature a dual-channel FADEC, the company announced today.

With seven million flight hours already logged by Arrius variants, the 2R will also offer an unmatched level of maturity at entry-into-service.

“Delivering on the Arrius 2R program is among Turbomeca’s top priorities.” Jean-François Sauer, Arrius 2R Program Vice President, said.

Launched in 2013, the Arrius 2R is following a fast development schedule that has successfully passed on schedule all its milestones, among which first ground run (April 2014) at the company’s Bordes factory, and a first flight aboard the Bell 505 at Bell Helicopter’s Mirabel facility in November 2014.

The Arrius 2R is designed to deliver performance and power within the 500 shp range, while improving safety and lowering pilot workload via the FADEC. Its twin-module configuration offers low maintenance and operating costs.

Reliability is built into the 2R and reinforced by a 3,000 hour Time-BetweenOverhaul offered at service entry.

The new variant will also benefit from Turbomeca’s renowned service and support capabilities. More than 350 letters of intent have already been signed for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X.