Bell’s air taxi vehicle leverages Thales flight controls

AMJan19News - Thales
AMJan19News - Thales

Bell Helicopters revealed the full-scale configuration of its vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) air taxi vehicle at CES 2019.

As part of the Bell Nexus team, Thales is helping redefine the flying experience. Now, an experience where the passenger defines the flying journey and the aircraft has the power to potentially meet you at your front door is one step closer to reality.

Aircraft are quickly becoming smart, fully connected machines with new services that create new passenger experiences, optimise operations and improve safety. For Bell Nexus that meant designing the vehicle leveraging Thales flight control architecture, hardware and software capabilities, which was part of the teaming agreement announced between Thales and Bell in the fall of 2018 for VTOL and on-demand mobility (ODM) solutions.

“The skies above crowded city streets are quickly becoming the next frontier for on-demand mobility,” said Michel Grenier, vice president and general manager for the Thales avionics business in Canada. “As part of the Bell Nexus team, Thales will play a leading role in shaping urban air mobility services for the next generation of on-demand transportation.”

Thales’ advanced flight control capabilities help fly commercial airlines, business jets, and military aircraft. Thales will provide the flight control computer, hardware and software and bring its best-in-class expertise in avionics and flight control architecture and technologies to support the critical safety and autonomy requirements for this air taxi vehicle. Bell and Thales’ collaboration will ensure an advanced, fully integrated fly-by-wire system, providing a safe, reliable, and affordable on-demand mobility solution.

www.thalesgroup.com

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