Bell 427

Type (Muster)
Light twin-turbine multi-purpose helicopter

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Bell Helicopter
PO Box 482
Fort Worth, Texas
USA

Phone: 001-817/280-2011
Fax: 001-817/280-3631

Bell is partnered with Samsung Aerospace Indutries of South Korea in this programme.

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1
Passengers (Passagiere): 6 in club arrangement with facing seats, plus one occupant in the copilot seat, or two litters

Power plant (Antrieb): Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207D turboshafts with FADEC (Full Authority Digital Electronic Control)
Take-off power (Startleistung): 2 x 529 kW (710 shp) for five minutes, or 466 kW max. continuous (Dauerleistung) or 611 kW for 30 sec emergency.
Transmission rated at 485 kW for 30 second emergency or 597 kW for take-off.
Fuel consumption (Kraftstoffverbrauch): 229 kg/hr at max. cruise speed, 220 lbs/hr at economical cruise

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 10,98 m
Length overall, rotors turning (Gesamtlänge): 12,99 m
Width over skids (Breite über Kufen): 2,29 m
Height (Höhe): 3,23 m over fin
Rotor diameter (Hauptrotordurchmesser): 11,22 m
Main rotor disk area (Hauptrotorkreisfläche): 99,89 sq m
Tail rotor diameter (Heckrotordurchmesser): 1,73 m
Tail rotor disk area (Hekcrotorkreisfläche): 2,34 sq m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 1,57 m ohne Cockpit
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 1,3 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 1,23 m
Baggage hold (Gepäckraum): 0,76 cu m behind the cabin

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight (Leermasse): 1743 kg
Useful load (Zuladung): 1137 kg when final gross weight of 2880 kg is certified
Max. external load (max. Außenlast): 1361 kg
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 770 litres as standard
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): about 2722 kg preliminary, due to rise to 2880 kg, or 2948 kg with external load

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Maximum cruise speed (max. Reisegeschwindigkeit): 259 km/h (140 kts)
Long range cruise speed (Reisegeschw. für lange Strecken): 251 km/h
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 5550 m (18200 ft)
Service ceiling with one engine (Dienstgipfelhöhe mit einem Triebwerk): 3825 m
Hover ceiling OGE (Schwebeflughöhe ohne Bodeneffekt): 2286 m ISA, 1585 m at ISA + 20 deg C
Hover ceiling IGE (Schwegeflughöhe mit Bodeneffekt): 4878 m at ISA, 4023 m at ISA + 20 deg C
Range (Reichweite): 704 km at long range cruise, no reserves
Endurance (Flugdauer): 4 hrs at loiter speed, no reserves

Costs (Kosten)
The basic price was quoted as 2,585 million US-Dollars in February 2001, up from 2,3 million US-Dollars in January 2000, and from 2,2 million US-Dollars in 1999. Complete with IFR equipment, that would rise to 3,57 million US-Dollars, up from 2,8 - 2,94 million. In November 1997, sales price was stated as 1,99 million US-Dollars for a standard aircraft.
Total average operating cost per hour was given as 483,4 US-Dollars in February 2001, up from 454,96 US-Dollars in January 2000, including fuel at 1,5 US-Dollars per gallon and man hours at 50 US-Dollars.

Customers (Kunden)
Five helicopters were delivered in 2000.
At Airshow China 2000, Korea Aerospace sold five SB427s to Feima Airline of China, for tour operations.
By January 2000, Bell claimed over 80 advance orders from 47 customers worldwide. This is up form 70 advance orders received up to November 1997.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Eurocopter EC 135
MD Helicopters Explorer

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The 427 is a joint project between Bell Helicopter and Samsung Aerospace Industries, which are sole-source manufacturers of cabins and tailbooms. This work is said to be worth 300 million US-Dollars for 740 units up to 2013.
The helicopter builds on the experience of the single-engined 407 but has a new-designed fuselage (mainly of composites) with an eight per cent larger cabin. There is also a new transmission with direct input. The dynamics are from the OH-54D Kiowa.

History (Geschichte)
The 427 programme was announced at the Heli-Expo show on 22. February 1996 in Dallas. At that time, a price of 1,875 million US-Dollars was quoted. A full-scale mock-up was completed by August and shown at the Farnborough Air Show in September 1996 for the first time.
Prototype assembly began in early 1997, and the first flight took place on 11. December that year. At 14.10 local, the helicopter took of for a four minute hover at Mirabel, Quebec.
In 1998, a second prototype joined the flight test programme, followed by the first production helicopter in late June. By September 1998, a total of four Model 427 were in test. At that time the second prototype did high-altitude work in Leadville, Colorado.
Due to weight growth, Bell decided to switch from the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206Ds to the more powerful PW207D for the series-production model. By January 1999, total flight time was over 500 hours.
After problems with the tail-rotor of the 407, Bell was forced to redesign the similar 427 system, to make sure no tail boom strikes occur. Modifications were also introduced to the pedals, the stops of which are now regulated according to airspeed.
After over 1500 hours of flight tests, basic Transport Canada certification was achieved on 19. November 1999, nearly a year later than the original target of December 1998. FAA approval followed in January 2000. The first delivery was during ceremonies at Heli Expo 2000 at Las Vegas on 24. January, to Petroleum Helicopters. The first international customer was named as Viadao Cometa in Brazil.
Certification for dual-pilot IFR and Category A operations was obtained around May 2000.
At Airshow China 2000, Korea Aerospace sold five SB427s to Feima Airline of China, for tour operations. This could rise to 70 over the years.
In early 2001, HAS Corporation was working on an autopilot system with an all glass cockpit. The components integrated into the system are Meggit Avionics MAGIC EFIS, SFIM autopilot and BF Goodrich GH3000 standby flight display system.

Last updated March 21, 2001

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