Bell Helicopter's Eagle Eye TR918 Unmanned Aircraft System Receives First Ever FAA Certification for Testing of a Vertical Lift Unmanned Aircraft

"This is a tremendous accomplishment that many people from bothBell Helicopter and the FAA have been working very hard to achieve,"explained Kevin Connell, Vice President of Bell Helicopter's XworXfacility. "Not only are we celebrating the certification of the EagleEye TR 918, but we are also celebrating the fact that with this firstever certificate of airworthiness for experimental testing of avertical lift unmanned aircraft, Bell Helicopter is once again leadingthe way in the vertical lift industry. Flight testing will beconducted at a recently opened Bell XworX facility in West Texas."

"This is another example of Bell Helicopter's leadership invertical lift technology," said Bell Helicopter Chief ExecutiveOfficer, Mike Redenbaugh.

The successful experimental flight certification of Bell's EagleEye TR918 UAS is the culmination of nearly a year of preparations,coordination and cooperation between Bell Helicopter and the FAA.

"The approval of experimental flight certification by the FAA isan example of government and industry teamwork," explained BobEllithorpe, Bell Helicopter's Director of Unmanned Systems. "The FAAand Bell Helicopter executed a detailed plan over the last severalmonths that today yielded the approval of an Experimental FlightCertification for the Eagle Eye TR918 UAS...we are now cleared to taketo the air and begin flight test operations."

During the certification process, an eight member team made ofrepresentatives from FAA headquarters in Washington D.C. and the FAASouthwest Region, scrutinized every aspect of the Eagle Eye programfrom hardware and software to operational procedures and qualitycontrol.

"With this successful certification, we can now demonstrate to theworld the remarkable capability of a vertical lift, tiltrotor UAS likethe Eagle Eye TR918," Ellithorpe said. "This system will providemilitary and commercial operators with multiple capabilities rangingfrom homeland security to pipeline patrol. Ultimately, Bell'sobjective is to provide a family of unmanned systems that give ourcustomers the means to more effectively accomplish their missions."

According the Redenbaugh, the Bell Helicopter funded Eagle EyeTR918 program is a great example of Bell Helicopter and Textron'scommitment to continue to invest in vertical lift.

"This is a great example of Bell Helicopter continuing to advancethe overall strategy of being in both military and commercialbusiness, in both tilt totors and helicopters and in both manned andunmanned aircraft," Redenbaugh said.

Bell Helicopter is a leading producer of commercial and militaryhelicopters and the pioneer of the revolutionary tilt rotor aircraft.Globally recognized for customer service, innovation and superiorquality, Bell's global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraftin over 120 countries.

Textron Inc. is a $10 billion multi-industry company with 44,000employees in 40 countries. The company leverages its global network ofaircraft, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers withinnovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the worldfor its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft,Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others. Moreinformation is available at www.textron.com.
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