Originally Posted by
gipsymagpie
Type approved engineers and service centres can be grown of course. The mass limit is set in stone and just kills the machine dead once you do the sums (unless you're in Canada who allow max weight). It also is worth noting that French Air Ambulance operators sold off some of their Bell 429 recently (F-HBEL and F-HBEK) and are not buying ones to replace them. The Swiss ones (extra one bought recently) are a special case due to the operating environment at high altitude (the power/payload scales get tipped a little differently when you operate at height). Also worth noting the lack of uptake of the machine for Air Ambulance in the UK except by Wilts. I'd say the H145 is the sweet spot, particularly given the imminent introduction of a UK simulator for the type.
It is a gorgeous aircraft! It would be fabulous to see a fleet of these serving for NPAS!
