Rotorrokkie I think your idea is great. BELL needs someone up there to sort them out. But why stretch a 427? Why not look to the 430 on skids and rethinking all that heavy internal stuff. Upgrading the avionics, throwing out the very heavy seats and internal fittings, using carbon composites where possible and then you'd have a really nice ship with range and a good payload.

We liked the 430 on skids but didn't buy one because it's too damm heavy to start with

Oddly, the original 427 development aircraft came to the UK for recreating into the stretched mockup for HAI. A contact of mine tracked it through LHR airfrieght on 7th December, with the paperwork showing Lutterworth nr Leicester as the destination - and it left LHR by road on 8th. Who is there that would do this work?

But it still raises questions to me, because of the cost of airfreight two ways and the fact that UK is very expensive to US companies at the moment.

Nr Fairy > The name "Bell 427XP" was also quoted on the paperwork, although the aircraft itself still carried the standard "Bell 427" name.

Can anyone explain the Bell numbering system?

Sure, the Model 30 and 47 may have just been the sequence of drawings on pieces of paper, but how did the rest of them evolve?

204 - B model Iroquois. 2 blades, turbine model number 4
205 - d, h models and the civvy version, progressing by one
206 - well, at least the number follows, but the machine is much smaller
212 - maybe 2 blades, 2 engines?
412 - ah hah! Logic! 4 blades, 2 engines
214 - ooops... lost it again. Maybe 2 blades, 1 engine, 4 dozen of them sold to the Shah of Iran.
407 - 4 blades, and 1 model later than a 206?
427 - 4 blades, 2 engines, 7 pob ?
690 - oh, boy - 6 blades - YES! 9 passengers? - maybe.. 0 hope? definitely.:bored:

There are a few more models hidden in the works...

Bell 207 Kiowa Warrior
Bell 209 Cobra series
Bell 406 Kiowa Scout

Let us not forget:

Model 61: Bell's proposed tandem rotor anti-submarine helicopter (1953).

Model 201: An experimental Army H-13 with a Continental XT51 turbine engine (merely a license-built Turbomeca Artouste) in 1955.

Model 533: Modified model 204 with wings, two Continental J-69 engines on either side of the fuselage, and a variable-tilt rotor mast! (1962)

Model 207: This lookalike predecessor of the AH-1 series was actually based on the model 47/H-13 powertrain and airframe (1963)

Model 309: KingCobra (1971).

Model 409: The 409/YAH-63 was Bell's competitive entry to the AAH (Advanced Attack Helicopter) competition won by the Hughes AH-64 Apache.

Model 222: Two-blade, twin-engine, civilian (no military counterpart) executive transport (1974).

Model 230: Basically a 222 with Allison C-30's instead of the awful Lycoming LTS-101's. (1991)

Model 430: Longer cabin, four-blade version of the 230 and specifically designed for shipboard operations by a single, very low-time pilot. (1994)

Model 406: Basically a 206B (short) airframe with a four-blade rotor. More popularly known as the OH-58D. (1983)

Model 400 Twin Ranger: Fugly-looking four-blade 206L (narrow-cabin) with a ring tail back end and two Allison C-20R's. (1983)

And those were just some of the ones that they actually built.

I thought the 47 had something to do with the year it was originally produced

Overpitched:Many people assume so. And we have to ask: Did Larry Bell "jump" from the Model 30 to the Model 47 to coincide with his intended year of certification (like Sikorsky did later with the S-76)? It's possible.

History does record that Bell was messing around with the Model 30 as early as 1943. The Model 30 was readied for "mass production" as the Model 47, and the first "Bell 47" flew in December of 1945. Production actually began in 1946, and of course the first commercial helicopter type certificate was issued to the 47 on March 8, 1946. So were there actually 16 different experimental models between the Model 30 and Model 47? It would appear not!

It must have been an incredible, hectic time at the Bell factory in the years immediately following WWII. Because also in 1946, Bell wanted to produce a larger version of the Model 47. They called it the Model 42. You can look at a picture and read about it here:
http://avia.russian.ee/~star/vertigo/bell_42-r.html

Five seats and a Wright R-985 radial behind the back seats? And you thought a 47 was noisy! And how 'bout that very R-44ish profile, eh? And three-blade tail rotor?? Without a civilian market, Bell must've said, "Hey, let's put a P&W 1340 in it and see if we can sell the damn thing to the Air Force!" The Model 42 then morphed into the Model 48/XR-12, also in 1946.

As the five-seat original Model 42/48 was not successful either for the civilian or military markets, it was apparently the Air Force that spurred the development of the Model 48A, a larger version designed to carry up to 10 people. And if you look closely at both the Model 42/48 and the Model 48A, you can clearly see the basis for what would later become the Model 204/YH-40/HU-1.

Man, I would've loved to have been around Bell in 1945. I guess I was just born too late :( What were those times like, Lu?

Having done some of the certification flying on the 427, I can say with some assurance that the single engine performance of the machine was pretty amazing. The single hydraulic system was a bit of disappointment, although Bell's VFR fix made it easier than a Bell 206 to land hydraulics off - it was not suitable for IFR.
Stretching it will help for the EMS market, but Bell needs to do something to make it a total package - single pilot IFR, Category A out of the box as standard would help. Needs an AFCS for IFR.
Digital fuel controls were excellent.
And the pre-start checks need to be made automatic- it's not as slick as the EC-135 to get going. Still stuck in the mid-60's in terms of cockpit interface. And a bit more legroom in the cockpit, please.
Hope they get it right this time.

Bell 427...opinions?
 

A company down here is considering buying a 427 for Charter and EMS work.
Any thoughts about this machine? Good or bad?

TIMTS
Your still trying to get away from that Robbie............Ha Ha
Sure the 427 is a good aircraft, also good because your at Sea Level.
Hill Construction has one in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Talk to their Pilot Bill Duncan. http://www.hillconstruction.com/default.asp
Being your in St Martin, I assume the need for a twin is Night etc. Have you considered the EC-135??

Bell 427
 

Follks - interested to get views/experiences/thoughts on ownership, flying and maintenance please

427
 

We operate 8 of these fine little workhorses and while a bit feisty to handle they are a very capable and robust machine.
Very simple (for a twin) to operate. Fantastic P&W engines that give it OEI capability that has to be seen to be believed!!:ooh:
You'll love the IIDS display. Very easy to read.
The only ongoing problems are moisture in a connection causing false caution messages and gen brushes wearing quickly.
Bell are working on both issues. In fact I think the gen problem has been solved.
We had 1 blade with a delamination issue.
Make sure you install the 28 amp battery.
Ventilation in the rear cabin could be better.
DD

427
 

And of course I forgot to mention the idle stop solenoids.
At USD5,000 each. :{

DD

Thanks DD, much appreciated

Bell 427 maintenance
 

The B427 is a good Sea level ship and does not give much trouble at all mechanically.
It has a few bugs with the triple switch and electrics in wet weather.
Our machines are flying an average of four hours a day without hassles
:D

I read that there's a company in the Czech Republic using them for medevac.
Anyone know how they're holding up in this type of operation?
Also, does anyone have much info on the company in the Czrch Republic? I can't remember the name.

The company is called Alfa Helicopter.

http://www.alfahelicopter.cz


http://www.alfahelicopter.cz/images/foto/foto10-big.jpg

And one of the pilots is a ppruner...

FYI, the guy is BigMike.

Although I've got a feeling that he is now an Alfa 'ex'-pilot.


HTH

He is... great bunch of people to work for, and a very nice helicopter to fly, with only a few little glitchs as mentioned. Works well as an EMS machine with its size and speed great for first response EMS. The company has 4 429's on order.

Current ride...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a3/.../search-mr.jpg


http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a3/...tershed-pb.jpg