Jetranger vs Kiowa (Australian Kiowa)

[Capt Hollywood]

This is aimed mainly at any Australian Kiowa pilots.

The Bell 206 Jetranger has a vne of 69 knots with a front door removed. I dont think I've ever seen doors on an Army Kiowa, do you seriously hack around at no more than 69 knots when you are operating or is their some difference in the airframes that allows a higher speed.

Cheers,

Hollywood

[Lynx206]

Kiowa Vne is 100 KIAS with the front doors removed.

[Capt Hollywood]

Thanks Lynx206,

Any idea why there is a difference as I thought they shared the same fuselage.

Hollywood

[Arm out the window]

I know that ARDU has done a bit of testing on the Kiowa and produced some data for the Army flight manual on such things as tail rotor effectiveness for various relative wind directions and speeds; just a guess, but they may have also done some studies and testing to allow an increase of the doors-off VNE. They have some cluey people there, there are also various other defence-related organsiations that can target specific areas that the services identify as being important for their operations, such as the extension of the F/A-18 and PC9A fatigue lifing, for example.