Bell 417
Gatvol
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,197
Likes: 1
From: KLAS/TIST/FAJS/KFAI
Phoinix, Good set of photos. leave little to question on the machine. Photos look as they were taken at the factory at Alliance in Ft Worth.
Lots of folks are always hoping for a change, but the motto should be "If it works, dont fix it." If folks didnt like the design the 206 and 407 series wouldnt be in such demand. Theres a waiting list for airframes today and Bell is smiling.........
I love that bell jetranger design
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 917
Likes: 11
From: Tax-land.
Originally Posted by Heli-kiwi
Deepen the cabin, flatten the floor and get rid of the pillar and you would have the smoothest most usable helicopter on the market...................
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 1
From: 1 Dunghill Mansions, Putney
Bell announces first flight of 417 & ARH-70A
Two first flights in two months.
Bell 417 achieves first flight
Bell 7/17
Bell Helicopter today announced that the Bell 417 completed its first flight Thursday, June 1, 2006. The aircraft took off from Bell XworX in Arlington, Texas and flew in a traffic pattern at 70 knots – about 80 mph – for a little more than half an hour at about 1,000 feet. The pilot’s comments were that the aircraft handled great. Basically, it was a flawless first flight. The aircraft and engine performed as expected.
Commenting on the flight Bell Chief Executive Officer, Mike Redenbaugh, said “This was another great day for Bell. This accomplishment reflects the Bell and Textron commitment to bringing new products to our valued customers in both commercial and military applications. The Bell 417 brings tremendous new capability to the market place. It is one more step in keeping our promise of providing premier products to our customers.”
The new Bell 417 is designed to provide improved useful load, high temperature and high altitude Out-of-Ground Effect (OGE) performance, lower cost of operation than simper aircraft in the light single class as well as modernized cockpit equipment.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada are expected to certify the new Bell 417 in 2008 with European Aviation Safety Agency validation expected in late 2008.
The 417 features new main and tail rotors to provide additional performance and directional control margin.
The Bell 417 has received tremendous acceptance in the market place since its introduction at the Helicopter Association International convention (Heli-Expo) in February.
ARH-70A first flight
Bell 7/20
Bell Helicopter today announced that the Bell ARH-70A completed its first two flights Thursday, July 20, 2006. The aircraft took off from Bell XworX in Arlington, Texas and flew multiple handling maneuvers, flew in a hover for both in and out of ground effect, and flew in a traffic pattern reaching 80 knots, 500 ft. altitude, with banks up to 30 degrees for a little more than 1.5 hours of flight. The flights delineate the ARH program as one of the fastest 'contract to flight' programs ever completed and set a new standard for such acquisitions.
Commenting on the flights Bell Chief Executive Officer, Mike Redenbaugh, said "This is an outstanding day for Bell and our customer, the U.S. Army. The ARH-70A is needed for the war on terror that is being fought by our military. This flight begins a new phase in the development of the aircraft and brings it closer to beginning the mission it was designed to execute."
The first flight also demonstrated the unique ARH teaming relationship between Bell and the U.S. Army with both a Bell and Army pilot conducting the operations. Bell test pilot Jim McCollough and Army pilot CW5 Alan Davis performed pilot and co-pilot operations, proving that the Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) platform approach can be successfully applied to military applications.
The ARH-70A is a complete weapons system designed to meet aerial reconnaissance capabilities to operate with the current and future force. Equipped with lethal weapons capability, net-centric connectivity and is equipped for day and night operations. Taken together the equipped aircraft enables the air-ground maneuver commander to "see-understand-act first."
"Today's first flight marks a major milestone for the ARH-70A as the program transitions into the flight test phase," stated Bell's ARH-70A program manager Bill Leonard. "Our Team's focus continues to be towards the completion of the build and functional test of the remaining three test aircraft, clearing the path towards a successful Limited Users Test (LUT), and finishing the production design." The program schedule has LUT beginning late 2006 to early 2007, in order to complete the production award criteria required to accomplish the first unit equipped in fourth quarter FY 2008 and Full-Rate production in FY 2009.
I/C
Bell 417 achieves first flight
Bell 7/17
Bell Helicopter today announced that the Bell 417 completed its first flight Thursday, June 1, 2006. The aircraft took off from Bell XworX in Arlington, Texas and flew in a traffic pattern at 70 knots – about 80 mph – for a little more than half an hour at about 1,000 feet. The pilot’s comments were that the aircraft handled great. Basically, it was a flawless first flight. The aircraft and engine performed as expected.
Commenting on the flight Bell Chief Executive Officer, Mike Redenbaugh, said “This was another great day for Bell. This accomplishment reflects the Bell and Textron commitment to bringing new products to our valued customers in both commercial and military applications. The Bell 417 brings tremendous new capability to the market place. It is one more step in keeping our promise of providing premier products to our customers.”
The new Bell 417 is designed to provide improved useful load, high temperature and high altitude Out-of-Ground Effect (OGE) performance, lower cost of operation than simper aircraft in the light single class as well as modernized cockpit equipment.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada are expected to certify the new Bell 417 in 2008 with European Aviation Safety Agency validation expected in late 2008.
The 417 features new main and tail rotors to provide additional performance and directional control margin.
The Bell 417 has received tremendous acceptance in the market place since its introduction at the Helicopter Association International convention (Heli-Expo) in February.
ARH-70A first flight
Bell 7/20
Bell Helicopter today announced that the Bell ARH-70A completed its first two flights Thursday, July 20, 2006. The aircraft took off from Bell XworX in Arlington, Texas and flew multiple handling maneuvers, flew in a hover for both in and out of ground effect, and flew in a traffic pattern reaching 80 knots, 500 ft. altitude, with banks up to 30 degrees for a little more than 1.5 hours of flight. The flights delineate the ARH program as one of the fastest 'contract to flight' programs ever completed and set a new standard for such acquisitions.
Commenting on the flights Bell Chief Executive Officer, Mike Redenbaugh, said "This is an outstanding day for Bell and our customer, the U.S. Army. The ARH-70A is needed for the war on terror that is being fought by our military. This flight begins a new phase in the development of the aircraft and brings it closer to beginning the mission it was designed to execute."
The first flight also demonstrated the unique ARH teaming relationship between Bell and the U.S. Army with both a Bell and Army pilot conducting the operations. Bell test pilot Jim McCollough and Army pilot CW5 Alan Davis performed pilot and co-pilot operations, proving that the Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) platform approach can be successfully applied to military applications.
The ARH-70A is a complete weapons system designed to meet aerial reconnaissance capabilities to operate with the current and future force. Equipped with lethal weapons capability, net-centric connectivity and is equipped for day and night operations. Taken together the equipped aircraft enables the air-ground maneuver commander to "see-understand-act first."
"Today's first flight marks a major milestone for the ARH-70A as the program transitions into the flight test phase," stated Bell's ARH-70A program manager Bill Leonard. "Our Team's focus continues to be towards the completion of the build and functional test of the remaining three test aircraft, clearing the path towards a successful Limited Users Test (LUT), and finishing the production design." The program schedule has LUT beginning late 2006 to early 2007, in order to complete the production award criteria required to accomplish the first unit equipped in fourth quarter FY 2008 and Full-Rate production in FY 2009.
I/C
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 1
From: 1 Dunghill Mansions, Putney
Essentially, yes. The ARH gets the mission equipment package (nose-mounted target acquisition suite, embedded GPS/INS, radar altimeter, etc.), hardpoints, self-protection suite, suppressor and - in production form - the more powerful version of the new Honeywell engine. Bell has so far been coy in revealing whether or not the civil 417 will also get the uprated engine.
I/C
I/C
Joined: Jul 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL(H)
Posts: 3,052
Likes: 56
From: UK
Originally Posted by Ian Corrigible
Bell has so far been coy in revealing whether or not the civil 417 will also get the uprated engine.
I/C
I/C
Or are we talking about an 'uprated, uprated engine', if you get my drift?
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 730
Likes: 0
From: Australia
Widgeon your quote [QUOTEthere was a good joke going round when they had the performance limits due to the TR eating the Tail Boom , part of the AD kit was a label to blank out the 0 in the model name ][/QUOTE]
dont get me wrong here, im a fan of both bell and EC however predominatly fly bell products, but didnt Aerospatiale come EC have a similair problem when they first bought out the A-STAR model.
there were tail boom strikes in the early days of the 350 and didnt they lengthen the TR drive shaft, same as what they did on the 407 right!
dont get me wrong here, im a fan of both bell and EC however predominatly fly bell products, but didnt Aerospatiale come EC have a similair problem when they first bought out the A-STAR model.
there were tail boom strikes in the early days of the 350 and didnt they lengthen the TR drive shaft, same as what they did on the 407 right!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,796
Likes: 1
From: 1 Dunghill Mansions, Putney
Originally Posted by Bravo73
Wasn't that the whole point of the 417? To be a more powerful version of the 407 to compete against the AS350B3? Or are we talking about an 'uprated, uprated engine', if you get my drift?
I/C
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: At home
BT
IIRC, the longer TGB output shaft on the Astars were introduced to correct vibrations on the vertical stabilisers caused by the T/R being a tad too close to the fins. The T/R tips contacting the tail boom happened when a pitch link failed. Beefed-up pitch links fixed that problem and it seems that the fixes were effective.
IIRC, the longer TGB output shaft on the Astars were introduced to correct vibrations on the vertical stabilisers caused by the T/R being a tad too close to the fins. The T/R tips contacting the tail boom happened when a pitch link failed. Beefed-up pitch links fixed that problem and it seems that the fixes were effective.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: stateside
Originally, with the short tail rotor output shaft, the Astar TGB forward housing was lifed too.
As for the "my helicopters better than yours" debate, Eurocopter have done almost as many add-ons to their designs as Bell. SA-360 becomes EC155, B0-105 to a EC145, SA315-EC130.
The most advanced helicopter flying today is the MH-53J Pave Low.Its not its age thats important, its what it can do and that is all about avionics...
As for the "my helicopters better than yours" debate, Eurocopter have done almost as many add-ons to their designs as Bell. SA-360 becomes EC155, B0-105 to a EC145, SA315-EC130.
The most advanced helicopter flying today is the MH-53J Pave Low.Its not its age thats important, its what it can do and that is all about avionics...
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: USA - Mexico
Boom Boom said... "SA315-EC130" ???
I find this a real stretch. There are no shared parts in these two models. They do not share the same TC. The 407 is, however, piggybacked onto the 206A TC and shares parts with the earlier models. I suspect the 417 will be also. Check out TC H2SW.
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/38c1200368810cb486256f5c007837b4/$FILE/H2sw.pdf
I find this a real stretch. There are no shared parts in these two models. They do not share the same TC. The 407 is, however, piggybacked onto the 206A TC and shares parts with the earlier models. I suspect the 417 will be also. Check out TC H2SW.
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/38c1200368810cb486256f5c007837b4/$FILE/H2sw.pdf
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: stateside
Yeah ok i agree your right, its not blatant like 206L to 407 but its the same configuration.
Of all the possible combinations they could have come up with for the As350 it has Single fuel cell surrounded by a box beam fuselage, cantilever cockpit, transmission lift transferred by 4 struts, 3 blades (no Sud aviation-eurocopter product has ever had 2 blades).
Its the same basic configuration as the Sa315-318.
The point is Eurocopter didnt start with a clean sheet of paper. They used what worked on their other designs (or MBBs), you be crazy to re-invent the wheel everytime you drew up another helicopter.
Their one big difference was they developed the Fenestron.
Im not pro Bell or anti whoever just pointing out the lineage, the alouette is the grandfather of the Astar.
(...and cue helicopter-spotter corrections)
Of all the possible combinations they could have come up with for the As350 it has Single fuel cell surrounded by a box beam fuselage, cantilever cockpit, transmission lift transferred by 4 struts, 3 blades (no Sud aviation-eurocopter product has ever had 2 blades).
Its the same basic configuration as the Sa315-318.
The point is Eurocopter didnt start with a clean sheet of paper. They used what worked on their other designs (or MBBs), you be crazy to re-invent the wheel everytime you drew up another helicopter.
Their one big difference was they developed the Fenestron.
Im not pro Bell or anti whoever just pointing out the lineage, the alouette is the grandfather of the Astar.
(...and cue helicopter-spotter corrections)
