In 1972, with funding from NASA and the US Army, Bell Helicopter Textron started
development of the XV-15, a twin-engine tiltrotor research aircraft.
The first flight was on May 3rd, 1977. Two aircraft were built to prove the tilt-rotor design and explore the operational flight envelope for military and civil applications.
The first prototype, N702NA, crash in 1992 but the second, N703NA, continue to perform test flights until 2003 when was donated to the Smithsonian museum. All the experience gained with this aircraft lead to the BA609 and V-22 Osprey programs .
The first flight was on May 3rd, 1977. Two aircraft were built to prove the tilt-rotor design and explore the operational flight envelope for military and civil applications.
The first prototype, N702NA, crash in 1992 but the second, N703NA, continue to perform test flights until 2003 when was donated to the Smithsonian museum. All the experience gained with this aircraft lead to the BA609 and V-22 Osprey programs .
Sea trials on board LPH USS Tripoli
Type: Research Tiltrotor
Project begin : July 1973
First Flight : May 3, 1977
First conversion from vertical
to horizontal flight: July 24, 1979
Units built: 2
Crew: 2
Engines: 2 * 1550 hp Lycoming LTC1K-4K
Speed: Max: 550 km/h
Service Ceiling: 8800 m
Range: 800 km
Weight: Empty: 4340 kg -- Max: 6000
Rotor Span: 7.62 m
Length: 12.8 m
Height: VTOL 4.67 m
Disc Area: 91.23 m2
The XV-15 with the newest V-22
Database: NASA XV-15
