Five knots is five knots, but 250 pounds is 250 pounds.
The Fat Ranger is getting Fatter!
The wheeled landing gear will add weight, however — about 250 pounds (113 kilograms). That will be more of a concern in countries that have not followed Transport Canada’s lead in granting a 500-pound exemption to the 429’s originally certified maximum gross weight (MGW) of 7,000 pounds, the regulatory maximum for helicopters certified under Federal Aviation Regulations Part 27 requirements.
Although 17 countries have now approved a 7,500-pound MGW for the 429, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last year denied Bell’s request for a weight exemption, suggesting it “would present Bell Canada, Bell 429 operators and their customers with an economic advantage over their Part 27 competitors since their competitors are limited to a 7,000-pound MGW” (Bell appealed the ruling). In February of this year, however, the FAA said it would consider a comprehensive rulemaking process that would eliminate the current weight standard for rotorcraft certification, acknowledging that the evolution of Part 27 and Part 29 rules has not kept pace with the technology and capability of newer rotorcraft.
Yeah, yeah,... same ol' story, they all are just about to certify it...
