Jump to content

Bell 429 GlobalRanger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Bell 429)

Bell 429 GlobalRanger
A Bell 429 from Mercy Flight 5
General information
TypeMultipurpose utility helicopter
National originUnited States/Canada/South Korea[1]
ManufacturerBell Helicopter
StatusIn service
Primary usersCanadian Coast Guard
Number built325 (July 2018)[2]
History
Manufactured2007–present
Introduction date2009
First flightFebruary 27, 2007[3]
Developed fromBell 427

The Bell 429 GlobalRanger is a light, twin-engine helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter and Korea Aerospace Industries. The first flight of the prototype took place on February 27, 2007,[4] and the aircraft received type certification on July 1, 2009.[5] The Bell 429 is capable of single-pilot IFR and Runway Category A operations.[6]

Development

[edit]

The impetus for developing the Bell 429 came primarily from the emergency medical services (EMS) industry. The Bell 427 was originally intended to address this market, but the 427's small cabin size would not adequately accommodate a patient litter,[7] and the systems did not support instrument flight rules (IFR) certification. Bell's original concept for the 429 was a stretched model 427[8] (unveiled as the Bell 427s3i at the 2004 HAI helicopter show), but this still did not provide what Bell and its customer advisers were looking for.[9]

Bell abandoned the 427 airframe and went to its MAPL (Modular Affordable Product Line) concept airframe[8] that was still in conceptual development at the time. The 429 employs the all-new modular airframe concept and the advanced rotor blade design from the MAPL program, but maintains a derivative engine and rotor drive system from the 427.[10] The basic model includes a glass cockpit and is certified for single pilot IFR. Bell partnered with Korea Aerospace Industries and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace of Japan in the helicopter's development.[11]

Bell 429 at the Singapore Air Show 2010

Bell had flown most of the critical MAPL technology components, using a 427 testbed aircraft, by February 2006. The first completed 429 flew on February 27, 2007.[3] Certification was originally planned for late 2007, but program schedule delays, primarily caused by parts and material shortages common to all aviation manufacturers in that time period, caused the manufacturer to stretch the development timetable.[4] In October 2007, the external configuration was set. In February 2008, Bell had three 429s in flight testing that had completed 600 flight hours.[12] Its high-altitude testing was conducted in Colorado and its high-temperature testing in Arizona.[13]

The helicopter received type certification from Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) on July 1, 2009,[5] and from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by July 7, 2009.[14] EASA certification was announced at Helitech on September 24, 2009.[15] TCCA and authorities in some other countries later approved an increased weight exemption for the aircraft.[16] However, FAA and EASA disagreed with the weight exemption, which had allowed the 429 to operate for the Canadian Coast Guard.[17]

As of June 2009, the Bell 429 had received over 301 letters of intent.[18] The launch customer was Air Methods Corporation, the largest medevac provider in the United States, which took one helicopter. On July 7, 2009, this aircraft (s/n 57006) was delivered to Air Methods (owner) and MercyOne (operator) at Bell's facility in Mirabel, Quebec.[19][20]

Design

[edit]
Bell 429 cockpit

The Bell 429 has a four-blade rotor system with soft-in-plane flex beams. The rotor blades are composite and have swept tips for reduced noise. The tail rotor is made by stacking two two-blade rotors set at uneven intervals (to form an X) for reduced noise.[4] The combined cabin volume is 204 cu ft (5.78 m3) with a 130 cu ft (3.7 m3) passenger cabin and 74 cu ft (2.1 m3) baggage area,[7] with a flat floor for patient loading. A set of rear clamshell doors under the tailboom is optional for easier patient loading in EMS operations.

The 429 has a glass cockpit with a three-axis autopilot (optional fourth axis kit) and flight director as standard.[21] Standard landing gear are skids. A retractable wheel landing gear is optional and adds five knots to cruising speed.[5] The helicopter is categorized as a single-pilot IFR Category A. It is capable of operating with one engine inoperative. The main transmission is rated for 5,000 hours between overhauls and the tail rotor gearbox is rated for 3,200 hours.[7]

Operational history

[edit]

By July 2018, 325 aircraft had operated 330,000 hours for police forces, air medical teams, and militaries in 42 countries, including Australia, France, Indonesia, Kuwait, Oman, Switzerland, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey, Thailand, the United States, and the United Kingdom.[2]

Operators

[edit]
A Royal Australian Navy Bell 429

Military and government operators

[edit]
 Argentina
 Australia
 Canada
 Indonesia
 Jamaica
A Bell 429 of the New Zealand police
 New Zealand
 Oman
 Philippines
A Bell 429 of the Slovak police[43]
 Slovakia
 Sweden
 Thailand
 Turkey
 United Kingdom
Bell 429 with retractable wheel landing gear
 United States
 Tunisia

Other operators

[edit]

 Australia

Specifications (Bell 429)

[edit]
Cabin of a medical evacuation Bell 429

Data from Bell 429 brochure,[60] Bell Helicopter 429 product specifications,[61] Flug Revue Bell 429 page,[62] Aviation Week[7]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1 pilot
  • Capacity: 7 passengers (six in passenger compartment; one beside pilot)[7] / 2,755 lb (1,250 kg) payload
  • Length: 41 ft 8 in (12.70 m)
  • Height: 13 ft 3 in (4.04 m)
  • Cabin volume: 204 cu ft (5.78 m3)
  • Empty weight: 4,245 lb (1,925 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 7,500 lb (3,402 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 215 US gal (179 imp gal; 814 L) usable with 40 US gal (33 imp gal; 151 L) auxiliary fuel
  • Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D1 (or PW207D2 with fuel heater installed) turboshaft, 625 shp (466 kW) each maximum continuous
730 shp (544 kW) for take-off[7]
  • Main rotor diameter: 36 ft (11 m)
  • Main rotor area: 1,018 sq ft (94.6 m2)
  • Blade section: - Narramore[63]

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 150 kn (170 mph, 280 km/h)
  • Never exceed speed: 155 kn (178 mph, 287 km/h) [7]
  • Range: 390 nmi (450 mi, 720 km)
  • Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
  • Hover ceiling IGE: 14,130 ft (4,307 m)
  • Hover ceiling OGE: 11,280 ft (3,438 m)

See also

[edit]

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Bell 429 Globalranger Place of origin countries".
  2. ^ a b "Bell 429 Celebrates Over 330,000 Hours of Operation" (Press release). Bell. July 16, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Bell 429 newsletter Archived 2008-11-18 at the Wayback Machine. Bell, March 2007.
  4. ^ a b c "Bell Flies 429, Stretches Program" Archived 2016-01-16 at the Wayback Machine. Rotor & Wing, April 2007.
  5. ^ a b c "Bell 429 Achieves Certification" Archived 2009-07-11 at the Wayback Machine. Bell Helicopter, July 1, 2009.
  6. ^ Transport Canada Type Certificate Search Archived 2009-04-15 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "Light Twin, Big Cabin", Aviation Week & Space Technology 170, 26 (June 29, 2009), p. 42.
  8. ^ a b Croft, John. "Bell Canada: composites not a grey area". Flight International, June 12, 2009.
  9. ^ AW&ST: "... but the cabin was not big enough to attract operators, particularly the emergency medical service industry."
  10. ^ Trimble, Stephen (October 22, 2012). "429 GlobalRanger teaches Bell new lessons in design". Washington DC: Flightglobal. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  11. ^ "FLUG REVUE Aircraft Gallery: Bell Helicopter 429". www.flug-revue.rotor.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2005. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  12. ^ "Bell Provides 429 Program Update" Archived 2008-02-27 at the Wayback Machine. Bell Helicopter, February 22, 2008.
  13. ^ "Textron Inc - Textron's Bell Completes Major Milestone in the 429 Development". investor.textron.com. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  14. ^ "FAA, TC Certify Bell 429" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. Rotor & Wing, July 7, 2009.
  15. ^ "Helitech 2009: Bell 429 achieves EASA Certification"[permanent dead link‍]. Rotorhub, September 24, 2009.
  16. ^ "Bell Still Seeking FAA Weight Exemption for 429". Rotor & Wing Magazine. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  17. ^ Stephens, Ernie. "Docs Show FAA Was Angry Over Bell's Weight Exemption Archived 2014-06-08 at the Wayback Machine" Rotor & Wing, June 3, 2014. Accessed: June 8, 2014. Archived on June 8, 2014.
  18. ^ Croft, John. "Bell: certification imminent for Bell 429 rotor rocket". Flight Daily News, June 15, 2009.
  19. ^ New model certified[permanent dead link‍]. Montreal Gazette, July 8, 2009.
  20. ^ Bell Presents 429 To Its First Customer Archived 2009-09-02 at the Wayback Machine. Textron website, July 16, 2009.
  21. ^ "Bell Helicopter's Bell 429 | Business Jet Traveler". bjtonline.com. February 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  22. ^ a b c d e "Bell 429 in Provincial Governments in Argentina". helis.com. 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  23. ^ "Policia de la Provincia de Entre Rios". helis.com. 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  24. ^ "Aviation Command - NSW Police Public Site".
  25. ^ "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  26. ^ "Raytheon to provide Bell 429s for interim RAN aircrew training". Australian Aviation. September 19, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2011.
  27. ^ "New POLAIR fleet takes to the sky with official launch of Bell 429 helicopters". Ministerial Media Statements. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  28. ^ "Miles Doing What Matters: POLAIR boost to keep Queenslanders safe". Ministerial Media Statements. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  29. ^ "Canadian Coast Guard Accepts New Light-Lift Helicopter in Shearwater, Nova Scotia". Government of Canada. Archived from the original on March 26, 2016. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
  30. ^ "Bell 429 selected for Canadian Coast Guard". verticalmag.com. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  31. ^ Johnson, Oliver (January 5, 2018). "Better, Faster, Stronger: The Canadian Coast Guard's new helicopter fleet". Vertical Magazine. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  32. ^ "Bell-429 GlobalRanger, Armada Helikopter Terbaru Polisi Udara". airspace-review.com. September 10, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  33. ^ "Jamaican military introduces Bell 429". flightglobal.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  34. ^ Sanchez, Alejandro (November 23, 2018). "Jamaica receives helos and MPA for national surveillance". IHS Jane's 360. Washington, DC. Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  35. ^ "Police unveil new Eagle helicopters for Air Support Unit". New Zealand Police (Press release). July 12, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  36. ^ "Jane's by IHS Markit". janes.ihs.com. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  37. ^ Binnie, Jeremy (March 27, 2017). "Oman receives Bell 429 helicopter". IHS Jane's 360. London. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  38. ^ Pulta, Benjamin (April 16, 2018). "Bato breaks in new PNP helicopter". Philippine News Agency. Philippine government. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  39. ^ Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo (November 20, 2020). "PNP acquires 3 more helicopters". SunStar. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  40. ^ "Pilot in command in Laguna helicopter crash faces raps: PNP". Philippine News Agency.
  41. ^ "Accident Bell 429 RP-3086, Thursday 5 March 2020".
  42. ^ "Helicopter carrying PNP chief crashes". The Philippine STAR.
  43. ^ a.s., Petit Press. "Pád policajného vrtuľníka v Prešove neprežili dvaja hasiči". domov.sme.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved May 10, 2017.
  44. ^ "Bell Helicopter expressed regret following crash"
  45. ^ "Bell 429 celebrates over 330,000 hours of operation". Bell Textron Inc. (Press release). July 16, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  46. ^ "Bell Helicopter announces the delivery of seven Bell 429s to the Swedish National Police". Bell Textron Inc. (Press release). May 18, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  47. ^ Gordon, Susan (August 8, 2012). "Bell 429 receives increased weight approval in Thailand". Textron. Fort Worth, Texas. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  48. ^ "Bell Helicopter Participates in Royal Thai Police Office of Logistics Anniversary Event". Bell Helicopter. September 2016. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  49. ^ "Royal Thai Police". Helis.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  50. ^ "Sayfalar - Bell 429 Album". Archived from the original on May 6, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  51. ^ "New Helicopter: Wiltshire Air Ambulance". Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  52. ^ "Arizona Department of Public Safety signs purchase agreement for Bell 429" (Press release). Dallas, Texas: Bell Helicopter. March 7, 2017. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  53. ^ "State Police add 2 Helicopters to fleet". wdel.com. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  54. ^ "Bell Helicopter Delivers Model 429 To Fairfax County Police Department". aero-news.net. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  55. ^ Burgos, Annalisa (October 31, 2024). "HFD modernizes air fleet with $10.6M twin-engine helicopter". Hawaii News Now. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  56. ^ "New York Police Department Aviation Division". www.policehelicopterpilot.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  57. ^ "Department of Health of Puerto Rico Selects the Bell 429 for Medical Operations" (Press release). Bell Helicopter. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on April 22, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  58. ^ "List of 429 in Tunisia". helis.com. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  59. ^ "Home 🚁 Blesk Aviation". February 24, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  60. ^ Bell 429 brochure Archived 2009-04-19 at the Wayback Machine. Bell Helicopter.
  61. ^ Bell 429 product specs Archived 2007-03-22 at the Wayback Machine. Bell Helicopter
  62. ^ Bell 429 page Archived 2009-07-17 at the Wayback Machine. Flug Revue.
  63. ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Bell 429 (category)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bell_429_GlobalRanger&oldid=1271738245"