Wow, talk about smoke and mirrors.
A max cruise speed of 155+ Kts definitely excludes the 500 nm range, make it more like maybe 400 nm, "MAYBE" if you want to keep the OGP fuel reserves.
For that 500nm range the "whatever whatever" carries a full bag of 634 (+) gallons, that's a whopping 4311 lbs of gas to go there at best cruise (definitely NOT 155 plus knots).
A best 7400 lbs of USEFUL load @ that range leaves the unfortunate customer with 3090 (optimistic) lbs of payload; in the GoM on crew change day that means 10 pax plus bags, that is if you consider the pilots as passengers.
The 19,300 lbs MGW minus the useful load leaves a BOW (hey we're forgetting the pilots here, right?) of 11,900 lbs (right on target with Bell's best policy of lightweight airframes if we have to learn from the 429
).
Based on continued engagement with the Customer Advisory Panel, Bell Helicopter has updated design features as well.
"Sponsons were added to the aft fuselage for retractable wheeled landing gear and internally-stowed floatation devices. The sponsons will provide a weight-efficient configuration for fuel-efficient, high-speed flight."
Because YOU KNOW that NO OTHER helicopter with retractable landing gear comes with sponsons and internally stowed floatation devices.
"In addition, a cross-sectional area of the tail boom was reduced to optimize payload and airframe lateral drag in sideward flight."
Because YOU KNOW that helicopters DO spend most of their flight time going sideways, especially the ones going offshore.
"Cowls and fairings above the cabin roof were modified for easy maintenance."
Easy maintenance of the cowling themselves or something more important, like the engines for example.
"With the input of pilots, the flight deck arrangement was slightly adjusted to further improve situational awareness."
So that the pilots CAN share their main egress with the first row of passengers (as in the S-76), having also to swivel their seats around to get out of the door, AFTER having to slide them backward.
