A Little Bell 407 History:
A blog post about the history of the Bell helicopter:
In 1992 Bell Helicopter Textron created a new model of the 206 series, called the Bell 407. This aircraft is based on the LongRanger and ShortRanger airframes and is powered by a Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C47 turboshaft engine capable of producing 700 shaft horsepower. The useful load capacity of this aircraft is 2,500 pounds (1,134 kilograms) and it can reach speeds in excess of 140 knots (259 kilometers per hour). It has been used for both civilian and military applications.
The original 206B3 that was modified to create the 407 was originally built in 1988. The tail boom was lengthened to provide room for an additional fuel cell that could increase flight time by almost an hour, thus giving rise to its name: LongRanger. In 1989, this same airframe was modified again to create the 206L3, which added more seating and increased useful load capacity. By 1990 the 206L4 would add even more seating, increasing the number of passengers from five to seven.
In 1992 all these modifications were made to Bell’s Model 206 JetRanger III airframe to create the 407. This model
“The Bell 407 is one of the most popular light single engine helicopters in history, and it’s easy to see why. The 407 has the perfect balance of power, speed, payload, and performance to meet the mission needs of a wide variety of customers around the world.”
With over 1,700 aircraft delivered to date, Bell Helicopter has proven its commitment to customer support by providing high quality that customers can rely on.
Bell Helicopter continues to evolve and grow with new developments in technology and design for both commercial and military applications. Bell Helicopter recently announced plans for a new helicopter: The Bell 525 Relentless.
The Bell 407 helicopter is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 206L4, which was itself a development of the legendary UH-1 Huey. The 407 has been in production since 1996 and over 1,400 have been built to date.
The most obvious difference between the 407 and its ancestors is that it uses the improved “Starflex” rotor head (first developed for the military OH-58D Kiowa Warrior) rather than the 206’s teetering rotor head. This reduces pilot workload while increasing life on components and cutting maintenance cost.
The 407 also features a four-blade fully articulated main rotor system that uses composite blades with swept tips and an all composite tail rotor system which reduces external noise levels.
The cockpit has been redesigned to resemble that of commercial airliners. The outer pylon can carry either a fuel tank or an optional cargo hook providing a useful load capacity of 1,500 lbs (680 kg). The 407 can be equipped with floats, able to land on water or snow. The first flight of the 407 was on February 8th 1996 and it was certified in January 1997
The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L LongRanger. The 407 has the four-bladed semi-rigid main rotor with soft-in-plane flexbeam blades and composite hub, of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. It also uses the advanced fiberglass airframe of the 206L-3, which provides increased speed and hover performance.
The helicopter was assembled in Mirabel, Quebec. Development on the aircraft began in 1995 and it first flew on February 21, 1996. It received FAA certification in December 1996 and EASA certification in June 1998. The 407 entered service later that year.
The 407 features a four-blade fully articulated main rotor with composite construction blades and titanium hub. The main rotor blade tips are swept back 18 degrees to reduce noise levels. The 407’s fenestron tail rotor is a ducted fan with 11 blades which the manufacturer claims will not inflict as much damage as an exposed tail rotor should an accident occur. The 407 also uses dual hydraulics engines to drive the flight controls which improves safety and reduces maintenance costs compared to conventional systems. Its engine is an Allison 250-C47 turboshaft engine rated at 6
The Bell 407 helicopter is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 is frequently used for corporate/VIP transport, law enforcement, air ambulance duties, electronic news gathering (ENG), movie making and in other roles where its speed and range are advantageous.
The Bell 407 was first introduced in 1996. The helicopter is an upgrade of the highly successful 206 JetRanger, with a larger engine and more powerful transmission. The improved power gives the 407 a greater payload capacity; the aircraft can carry up to seven passengers in standard configuration or six passengers and one stretcher in air ambulance configuration. The 407 has over 1 million flight hours logged to date by operators around the world
The Bell 407 is a four blade, single engine, civil utility helicopter; a development of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 uses the four blade, soft-in-plane design rotor with composite hub and titanium alloy blades of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior rather than the two bladed semi-rigid, teetering rotor used on the 206.
The first 407 prototype flew on June 29, 1994 and was awarded FAA certification in January 1996. First deliveries began in February 1996. Over 1,000 have been delivered by early 2001. Early models include the 407, 407 AH (Armed Helicopter), 407 LH (Law Enforcement Helicopter), 407 SH (Special Application Helicopter) and the military configured Bell Model 412CF which was developed for Canada’s Armed Forces.
The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 is frequently used for corporate transport, EMS work, and movie making.
The development of the 407 started in 1994 with Bell’s Model 407 and first flew in June 1996. The aircraft was certified by Transport Canada on December 18, 1996 and by the FAA on March 31 of the following year.