Bell Helicopter Academy: 407 training

[EN48]

All,

I am planning to do the 407 Initial course at BHA in a few months. Anyone been there, done that, and have comments, positive or negative?

Thanks,

RB

[inmate]

You will not be disappointed, the ground training covers all you need to know and then some. If you have 206 time then this is just a transition. (the 407 is a 206 on steroids) Flight training is fun, relax and enjoy it. Autos are a little different (at the bottom) but the rest is just getting used to the fadec system. The best thing to remember is if you have a fadec failure, fly the helicopter the only time you have to take immeadiate action is on an approach with low collective settings (Ng below 80%). The rest of the time the faults can be corrected without having to rush through procedures.
You should be able to download the AFM from the Bell web page. While in the site they also will have a list of discounted hotels for Bell students and transportation details.
Not sure were you are coming from but if its your first time then take the opportunity to enjoy the visit.
Best of luck

[vaqueroaero]

If the NG is below 90 then action is required, not 80. (If it's below 80 then more action is required!)

Rick I sent you a pm.

[helonorth]

If NG is above 90%, action is also required, as it will underspeed. The 407
has a higher rate of descent in autorotation and RRPM decays faster than
in a 206, so getting the collective down expeditously is even more
critical in the 407.
Flying it in MANUAL is picked up faster by pilots with time in non-
governored helicopters as you are controlling RRPM with throttle (didn't
find it much different than a 300C). You did only ask about Bell school, so
forgive the ramble. You will LOVE flying the 407 .

[Lutefisk989]

Great course, great instructors, terrific facility.

You'll love flying it...autos are a blast.

[47guy's]

I'm looking for a copy of the 407 flight manual so let me know about it

Guy

[EN48]

Thanks to all for the comments. Inmate mentions a 407 flight manual available online. Been looking all over the Bell website and the web more broadly without success. Can anyone provide a url?

Thanks,

RB

[GoodGrief]

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=233901

[EN48]

GoodGrief,

Thanks - a veritable bonanza of flight manuals!

RB

[Spunk]

I've been to the Bell Academy in 2000 for the initial 407 course. This is what I consider to be a type rating course. A lot of ground school along with some sim time to understand the systems and a lot of challenging flying with the experienced guys.

Enjoy it,

Spunk

[EN48]

I have downloaded and reviewed the B407 RFM at the link suggested by GoodGrief. This is helpful, but it does not appear to contain anywhere in the 498 pages a Systems Description section often found in RFM's (although perhaps not a required part of the RFM). This would be most helpful to those not already familiar with the 407 systems. Anyone have a link to such a document?

Thanks,

RB

[Bernouli's what?]

Go to 'Escobar' and The Pour House in Sundance Square, downtown Fort Worth! I was only there for the simulator. Don't remember much about the emergencies but the social was great!

Don't drink and fly! :=

[Simul8]

RB,

http://www.bellhelicopter.net (http://www.bellhelicopter.net/)

Sign up, enter the serial number of your helicopter, and you'll have what you need....

[EN48]

As a warm up for the Bell Academy 407 Initial course in a few weeks, I elected to do a local familiariztion flight prior to heading for TX. The folks at Bell were kind enough to send the training manual in advance, and after spending a few evenings reviewing this, I did 2 hours of dual with a local 135 operator/instructor, covering an abbreviated systems review, FADEC basics (normal & emergency), starting procedure (auto mode only), pick ups/set downs, hovering, hover autos, normal and max performance takeoffs, normal and steep approaches, high speed cruise, confined areas, straight-in autos to power recovery, approach and landing with failed hydraulics, and shutdown procedure. Most of this was more straight forward than I anticipated. (But, I am by no means the master of any of this yet, just wanting not to look dumb in Dallas!) Biggest surprise was the control forces with hydraulics out - like they were welded in place. (I have no prior time in acft with boosted controls, so this is probably old news to most here.)

Overall, quite a machine, and with huge performance reserves, smooth, and quiet. A few disappointments: a bit cramped for a 6'1" pilot, and downward visibility somewhat limited by the panel. But then, love allows one to overlook flaws!

EN48

[EN48]

I completed the BHA 407 Initial Pilot course today, and as others here have suggested, found it to be exceptionally well done - perhaps the most useful training experience in my 43 years of flying. The instructor staff proved to be extraordinarily well qualified and effective: ground instructor -> Bell Senior Flight Instructor with 30 years experience flying helicopters and fixed wing acft mostly in law enforcement; sim (FTD) instructor -> former Bell Principal Experimental Test Pilot; flight instructor - Bell Senior Flight Instructor, former Army OH-6 Scout pilot in Vietnam, with almost 40 years of helicopter and fixed wing experience. I am not making this up!

The autos were a blast, and every one was to a touchdown. Both student and instructor tested the Automatic Leveling Device a time or two, but no harm done. Flight conditions were typically 22G31, so a good work out.

The facility is modern, and the flight training acft in very nice condition. The maintenence training hangar is accessable to all students, and is an eduction in itself as there is one of almost every Bell civilian helicopter on the floor opened up so that you can see what is under the covers.

With only 100TT in helicopters, I was concerned about being imtimidated in the company of such highly qualified faculty and students, but I should not have worried. Everyone was friendly, professional, and interested in assuring that I was successful. I recommend this program highly, and despite the fact that it was expensive, it was a great value in terms of both tangible and intangible measures. Do it of you can.

EN48

[Brilliant Stuff]

I would love to go to Bell and do a couple of courses, sadly they are a tad expensive for me.I know it's top notch quality training you get for the money. Maybe when I win the lottery?

Glad you had a good time.

[helonorth]

Curious what the FADEC fail procedures are at the factory. Can you
elaborate?

[EN48]

There are several "classes" of FADEC failures, and only one requires significant pilot action in flight. If the FADEC detects a major failure, it switches from "AUTO" mode to "MANUAL" mode uncommanded by the pilot. In this case, the Academy teaches to use collective and throttle in a coordinated manner to avoid an underspeed or overspeed. In the worst case for an overspeed (on the ground in the FLY detent with flat pitch) when the FADEC fail horn sounds, immediately roll the throttle to idle. The RFM talks about first matching NG on the throttle bezel to NG on the gage, and this is a good idea, but it seems in many cases things happen too fast for this, and you need to do something right away with the collective and or throttle. The flight insdtructors did not emphasize matching NG indications until after engine speed was unders some control. This falure mode is a "land as soon as practical" pilot action.

All other FADEC failures require no significant pilot action in flight: fly non aggressively and land as soon as practical. The FADEC remains in AUTO mode, but with some reduced capability.

ADDENDUM: The acft I used for training has FADEC software version 5.356 (latest version) installed, which includes a second FADEC channel supporting a reversionary governor. This was not discussed in any detail in the training, but it is my understanding that with this software, some faults that previously resulted in a reversion to MANUAL mode now cause the FADEC to remain in AUTO, with less possibility of an overspeed/underspeed induced by the pilot.

And Old Skool is quite right: reduce the throttle to idle before lowering the collective or it may get expensive. (If you do a run on as recommended, you will have some collective in on the ground; if you arrive at a hover, wind the throttle down to land, dont lower the collective until at idle.)

Despite all the "issues," the FADEC is your friend.

[Old Skool]

and remember to roll the throttle off before you lower the collective when you have safely landed, it would be a shame to get all the way home and then cook it on the ground, as i did...only in the sim though

[McGowan]

Great place, great people, better than great aircraft.
Have done two "initial" courses and the "operational check flight" course over the last three years.
Learnt a lot of valuable stuff every time.
Yes, expensive, but it's really just cheap insurance. Your boss or you spent around US$2,000,000.00 for the machine, another $20,000.00 shouldn't break the bank and you have someone who KNOWS what he is doing in the machine.
The 407 isn't just a 206 that has grown fat with time. It is a whole different machine.