Bell 427

Infobox Aircraft
name= Bell 427


caption= Croatian Bell-427 landing
type=Multipurpose utility helicopter
manufacturer=Bell Helicopter Textron
designer=
first flight=11 december 1997
introduced=2000
retired=
status=Active service
primary user=
more users=
produced=
number built=
unit cost=
developed from = Bell 407
variants with their own articles = Bell 429

The Bell Model 427 is a twin-engine civil utility helicopter, a new design somewhat based on the Bell 407. It is scheduled to be replaced by the stretched Bell 429.

Development

Bell has tried several incarnations of a twin version of its successful Bell 206 series, including the stillborn Bell 400 and 440 of the mid 1980s, and the limited production Bell 206LT TwinRanger of the early 1990s.Frawley, Gerard: "The International Directiory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004", page 43. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7]

Bell's original concept for a replacement for the 206LT TwinRanger was the Bell 407T, a relatively straightforward twin engine development of the Bell 407 with two Allison 250-C22B engines.Frawley, Gerard: "The International Directiory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004", page 47. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7] However, Bell concluded that the payload/range performance of the 407T would not be sufficient, and so began development of a new light twin, in partnership with South Korea's Samsung Aerospace Industries. In February 1996, Bell announced the Model 427 at the Heli Expo in Dallas.

The Bell 427 first flew on December 11, 1997. Canadian certification was awarded on November 19, 1999, followed by US certification in January 2000, and US FAA dual pilot IFR certification in May 2000. The first customer deliveries occurred in January 2000.

Bell had planned to re-design the 427, offering it in 2004 as the Bell 427"i", but later cancelled the program and focused on the improved Bell 429. In February 2005, the existing 80 orders for 427"i"s were converted to the 429. [cite web |url=http://www.shephard.co.uk/Rotorhub/default.aspx?Action=745115149&ID=2cc4efa8-d2b5-4487-aa4d-6977770cd628 |title=All Bell 427i Customers Convert to New Bell 429 |accessdate=2007-06-30 |date=2005-02-07 |publisher=Rotorhub.com ]

On 24 January 2008, Bell announced plans to officially discontinue its 427 line after current order commitments are fulfilled in 2010. [ [http://www.bellhelicopter.com/en/company/pressReleases/PR_08_0124_StreamlineProductLine.cfm "Bell Streamlines Product Line to Better Align with Customer Demands"] , Bell Helicopter, 24 January 2008.]

Design

The Bell 427 was the company's first aircraft designed entirely on computer. Bell builds the 427's flight dynamics systems at Fort Worth, Texas, while final assembly is performed at Bell's Mirabel, Quebec facility. The 427's fuselage and tailboom are built by Samsung at its Sachon plant in South Korea.

Power is supplied by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D turboshafts with FADEC. Like the Bell 407, the 427 uses a 4-bladed rotor system with a rigid, composite rotor hub instead of the 2-bladed semirigid rotor of the Model 206.

The Bell 427's cabin is 33 cm (13 in) longer than the 407, and is largely of composite construction. The cabin lacks the roof beam which obstructs the cabin on the 206/206L/407, and has an optional sliding main cabin door. The 427's systems are nearly identical to the 407.

The 427 offers 8-place seating including pilot in a 2+3+3 arrangement. Alternate layouts include four in the main cabin in a club configuration, or two stretchers and two medical attendants for medevac duties.

pecifications (Bell 427)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= copter
jet or prop?= prop

ref=International Directiory of Civil Aircraft

crew=1 pilot
capacity=7 passengers
length main= 35 ft 11 in
length alt= 10.94 m
span main= 37 ft 0 in
span alt= 11.28 m
height main= 11 ft 5 in
height alt= 3.49 m
area main= 1,075.2 ft²
area alt= 99.9 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= 3,842 lb
empty weight alt= 1,743kg
loaded weight main= lb
loaded weight alt= kg
useful load main= lb
useful load alt= kg
max takeoff weight main= 6,350lb
max takeoff weight alt= 2,880 kg
more general=

engine (jet)=
type of jet=
number of jets=
thrust main= lbf
thrust alt= kN
thrust original=
afterburning thrust main= lbf
afterburning thrust alt= kN
engine (prop)=Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D
type of prop=turboshaft
number of props=2
power main= 710 hp
power alt= 529 kW
power original=
max speed main= 140 knots
max speed alt= mph, km/h
cruise speed main= knots
cruise speed alt= mph, 259 km/h
never exceed speed main= knots
never exceed speed alt= mph, km/h
stall speed main= knots
stall speed alt= mph, km/h
range main= 394 nm
range alt= 342 mi, 730 km
ceiling main= 10,000 ft
ceiling alt= 3,048 m
climb rate main= 2,000 ft/min
climb rate alt= m/s
loading main= lb/ft²
loading alt= kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= hp/lb
power/mass alt= W/kg
more performance=

armament=

avionics=

References

* [http://www.bellhelicopter.com Official Bell Helicopter website]
* [http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRTypen/FRBel427.htm Flug Revue]

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Bell 206
* Bell 400
* Bell 407
* Bell 429

similar aircraft=
* MBB/Kawasaki BK 117
* Eurocopter EC 145
* MD Helicopters MD Explorer
* HAL Dhruv

lists=
see also=

External links

* [http://www.bellhelicopter.textron.com/en/aircraft/commercial/bell427.cfm Bell 427 on manufacturer's site]
* [http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/bell_427.php Bell 427 on aviastar.org]