Alberta, Canada-based Eagle Copters has an impressive engine modification to show Bell 407 pilots, operators and owners at Heli-Expo 2010. Dubbed the “Eagle 407 HP,” the popular, single-turbine helicopter sports a 1,021-shp Honeywell HTS900 engine. Though still to be flight tested and certified, the engine upgrade has the promise of providing the popular model with the power it needs for improved operations at higher altitudes.
Honeywell developed the HTS900 for the Bell 417 program, which when canceled in 2007 also halted the Army ARH program. “We ended up without a home for this fantastic engine with the latest technology,” said Doug Kult, Honeywell sales director for commercial helicopters. Now Bell Helicopter engineers are working with Eagle Copters to develop the first HTS900-powered 407. The modified Eagle helicopter is on display at the Eagle Copters booth (No. 1049).
