Widgeon, I don't quite understand your question.
We now have an all Bell fleet, from 206B3's to 212's. We had 3 - 350B2's but sold them and bought more 407's. We currently have 6 and are looking at adding more. The 407 had been a very reliable and safe aircraft in our fleet.
I personally have over 2,000 hours on the 350 series, and now about 1,000 hours on 407's. My experience with the types is that the 407 is superior to the B2 in performance. All of my work is at altitude, and in a general charter / utility role.
I have had the unfortunate experience of attending 3 -350 accidents in my career, all of which have resulted in injuries and death. I feel that the 350 series does not offer the protection that other types do in a crash situation. The cabins of each of these 350 wreckages were demolished, and each aircraft was a complete write-off.
In addition to my personal experience in dealing with the aftermath of these accidents, I routinely study the information available on the NTSB website (
www.ntsb.gov). This information may not be a complete look at a given type worldwide, but it is readily available and gives a good look at the US stats.
The 407, introduced in early 1996, has 20 reports filed, and is now numbering over 500 ships worldwide. There have been 15 fatalities, including a night wirestrike (4) several M/R blade strikes (3) a mid-air with a 355 (1 - 355 pilot fatal), but only approx 7 fatalities directly related to the failure of the aircraft/structure. in that same time period, the US 350 fleet had 60 reports and 50 fatalities. This is not an "apples-to-apples" comparison, as the 350 fleet numbers are larger.
Dynamic, you wrote..."There arent any Bell machines that can compare with the AS350". I disagree with this statement, there are several Bell models that can compare directly with 350B, BA, and B2's.
I also suggest that if you feel that Hydraulic servo transparency is the only item of safety effecting a 350, you should do some research. There have been several AD's issued recently that could have a profound effect on your safety.
The 350's may be wonderful aircraft to fly, but do not be lulled into any false sense of security. When they bite, they bite very hard!