More delays possible for Bell 429?

By Mark Huber

November 1, 2008
Aircraft

Despite a recent executive shake-up at Bell Helicopter, company executives insist that the new $4.865 million (2007) Model 429 light twin will receive certification approval early next year and that first customer deliveries will begin shortly thereafter. (Originally, those deliveries were scheduled to begin last year.) “The plan right now is that we are going to certify early next year,” Bell’s 429 program director, Neil Marshall, told AIN late last month.

He added that the program was largely “on track” and that most of the flight testing would be finished by next month. Marshall said that some function and reliability testing, ground testing, software completion and supplier parts qualification remained to be done. He also said that he expected the 429 to perform better than previously published specifications, strongly hinting that top speed would exceed 142 knots.

The first 14 production aircraft are already in sub-aTssembly build and the company plans to ramp up production of the 429 gradually over the next three to four years, achieving a full-rate production of 115 ships per year after 2011.

More than 350 Bell 429s are on order.

Back

AAIB: offshore operators need more sim training January 01, 2009 The final report on the fatal crash of a CHC Scotia-operated Eurocopter SA 365N Dauphin 2 in the Irish Sea on Dec. 27, 2006, underscores the... [more]
India and Russia Agree on Helo Deal, Review Joint Defense Projects December 16, 2008 India agreed to buy 80 Mil Mi-17V-5 helicopters worth $1.2 billion during a visit to Delhi by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev early this... [more]
First Eurocopter EC 175 Airframe Completed December 01, 2008   Harbin Aviation Industry (HAIG) on November 15 in Harbin, China, delivered the first EC 175 airframe to Eurocopter. HAIG is Eurocopter’s... [more]
Rotorcraft Leasing Acquires Bristow’s Single-Engine Operations December 01, 2008 Rotorcraft Leasing has acquired 53 Bell 206 single-engine helicopters and related assets operated by the Bristow Group in the Gulf of Mexico for... [more]
AW139 Sells Fast December 01, 2008 AgustaWestland has logged a number of sales successes for the AW139 medium twin. In addition to UTair’s recent order for as many as 35, AW... [more]