American dream

By Bell / Jet Transfer AD

The newest Bell 429 model was manufactured not only as a flying medical ambulance and air transport for VIP persons, but before everything else, as the reply to competitors challenge. Fast and capacious, it perfectly adapts for any purposes and problems, whether it be medicine, protection of the law and order or the oil-and-gas industry. By Alexander Shvydkin

From that recent moment, when the helicopter facilities market growth became a tactile reality, great progress occurred in manufacturers' camp. The truth is that not all managed to respond adequately to the good fortune dropped from the clouds. And if, for instance, the competitors could offer in favour of civil customers a range of advanced models of different classes, then the Bell Helicopter company, being overburden with arms contracts during the “period of suppression of international terrorism”, was somehow delayed in the civil market. But now, due to uprising of the Bell 429, the said company will catch up on it.

Limits of the possible
The history as well as prehistory of the Bell 429 model mirror all controversies and difficulties which were met by design engineers of light twin turbine engine helicopters of “A” certification category. For the first time the requirements of the “A” category were conceived in the mind of military customers as the series of measures for enhancement of the helicopters damage control.

The demands of war turned to be so severe that it was not sufficient to have two engines on a helicopter. The engines should have been so powerful, that the helicopter could get off the ground with one “heart” and at full load.

But, as the saying goes, it did not grow together. Since the very beginning of their “sky career” light helicopters were provided with only one engine.

Later some of such light helicopters were provided with two engines of lower unit power just for the case when one engine is off the helicopter could endure to any landing ground and touch down in safety conditions. As a matter of fact, the requirements of the “A” category provided for increase in engine powers which had never seen before. Now, each of twin engines should work in the same running regime as both of them could be operated before.

Provided that, the fuel consumption was increased as well. The light aircraft became an apparatus for air transportation. With complete fuel filling the payload was decreased to ridiculous parameters, and the flights with the cabin full of passengers became short as the grasshopper jump. This tiny machine could not, from physical standpoint, bear substantial load and full tanks of kerosene oil, because everything has its own limit.

The conflict between the fuel and payload is a usual thing in aviation. But only in relation to the light twin-engine helicopters of the “A” category such conflict came to absurdity. The customers did not have any idea as regards to field of application of such expensive and fuel-hungry helicopter, which may take, to expected long range, one passenger, laptop and a tiny dog. That is clearly understood that the military customers, who stirred up this trouble, said: “Belay!” and refused from the problem. But the appetite remained and the demand for reliable helicopters, capable of doing miracles, not only retained but became strained from year to year. The designers started to perfect such helicopters.

Response to Europe
The main issue of the first light helicopters of the “A” category was their lineage. The basic design and technology concepts these aircrafts derived from their predecessors, to which such crazy demands were not set up. That is precisely why the first similar helicopters, for instance Bell 206LT, were in a form of ad hoc solutions, designed to satisfy the most impatient demand until the manufacture of better helicopters. All attempts to lighten the helicopters and to increase their loading factor were not a success due to the fact that they were initially based on obsolete models and technologies. The integrated breakthrough, which was of great need, happened at the beginning of the century, when accumulation of modern helicopter technologies provided them with opportunity to change the quantity for the quality.

In March 2004, the Bell Helicopter informed about the beginning of corresponding activities on the Bell 427i model, being the advanced model of the “A” category, which was designated successful perspectives and significant superiority over the Bell 427 model, mostly with regard to fuel and commercial efficiency. It was being planned to lighten the helicopter again and to lower the fuel consumption by mounting of a new engine control system. But something (probably the competitors’ achievements) suggested that alteration of old jackets is no longer the thing to do, and that the aircraft should be created from the green field. Having reoriented the experts of Canadian branch to a new course, in the end of 2005 the company informed about elaboration of a principally new Bell 429 Global Ranger, the trial flight of which happened on February 27, 2007 at the factory facilities in Mirabel (Québec).

The Bell 429 is similar only in appearance of recognizable brand lines of Bell. The whole technical essence of the Bell 429 changed fundamentally. In manufacture of this aircraft the following companies were engaged: Korea Aerospace Industries and the Japanese Company Mitsui Bussan Aerospace, each of which was responsible for its own project stage. The major unit assembly of the helicopter is its rotary wing, as the wing in the airplane. Specifically the aerodynamics and manufacturing procedure of the rotary wing provide for the helicopter general performances. That is why the rotary wing of the Bell 429 was elaborated carefully. We may see modern high-efficiency profiles for blades (full reconstruction), and the “core” of the rotary wing was a modern pivotless hub the manufacture of which was based on space materials and technologies. As a result the rotary wing became efficient, low-noise, long-run and not labour-intensive in maintenance.

The fuselage turned out to be another principal part of this model. It was a newly designed variant with a great number of modern composition materials. Having heard a considerable amount of claims on the part of various operators as regards to cabin tightness in the Bell 427 model, the design engineers of the Bell 429 made the fuselage more spacious, provided for flat level floor as well as for opportunity to arrange for installation of rear half-doors in the cargo compartment. These improvements were fulfilled primarily in favour of Medical Aviation Service because the medical attendants on flying status should be key customers of the Bell 429 model. According to the Bell Helicopter prognoses, the Bell 429 model will be the only one light two-engine helicopter capable of carrying two pairs of litters with two attendants and two pilots or with one pilot and the third medical attendant.

But the main difference between the Bell 429 model and the Bell 427 model was the advanced avionics, which made it possible to certify the aircraft for performance of instrumented flights at any time of a day whether in visual or instrument meteorological conditions, and even with one pilot. The lack of such features, at the proper time, lowered the potential of the Bell 427 model in competitive market of the light (“A” class) helicopters. Now, when the Bell Helicopter may demonstrate its new model of a new engineering philosophy, the company will be able to conquer such market segment out of which it was squeezed by competitors. Let us see what they are going to undertake with the helicopters which were elaborated 10-20 years ago.

The Light Strip
Though the Bell 429 was designed mostly for the national market segment, it is also of great interest for commercial operators, who demonstrate serious desire to purchase 4 and 6-seater passengers modifications. Another not insignificant advantage of the “429” model, in its VIP version, is the retractable landing gear, which significantly increase not only the velocity but the status level as well. Strong fuselage, opportunity of flight in any weather, two powerful engines, certificated under the newest standards of safety – does all this Bell 429 optimum means of delivery of experts and cargo onto offshore oil-extracting platforms or into offroad sites of geological investigation.

Now we speak about spacious cabin with level floor, which was the advantage of the Eurocopter before. The luggage compartment may enclose a set of brassy and luggage.

The Bell 429 demonstrates a rather spacious cabin, in the 4-seater version of which there are stylish leather chairs fitted with massive elbows and a beverage compartment, and the usual ceiling light is supplemented with glamorous light strip designed as two ranges of round flashlights, built in floor covering. Together with broad doorways and large windows the cabin is made in a very fashionable style.

Initially, the Bell Helicopter suggested to perform the first flight of the Bell 429 model at the beginning of 2006 and to obtain corresponding certificate from Federal Aviation Administration (USA) and the Transport Service (Canada) by the beginning of 2007. But in 2007 at Le Bourget air show they said that the certificate may be obtained in September 2008 or earlier. Notwithstanding such delay, equal to a year, the company states that nowadays all activities are being performed pursuant to the schedule. The Air Methods Corporation, being the largest provider of Emergency Medical Care services in USA became the first client. On account of this order a new Bell 429 EMS (medical configuration) will be demonstrated in May during the Airmed 2008 Exhibition in Prague. It will be European first performance of the helicopter. The American presentation event took place at the Heli Expo Exhibition in Houston.The Bell Helicopter also informed that all deliveries will be commenced at the end of the current year, and that should be considered as decent response of the Bell in relation to the offers made by the competitors for several years already. Let’s hope that the light of truth will break through.