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Bell 407
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Bell 407
The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter. A derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger, the 407 uses the four-blade, soft-in-plane design rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-blade, semi-rigid, teetering rotor of the 206L-4.
In 1993, Bell began the development of the New Light Aircraft as a replacement for its Model 206 series. The program resulted in the 407, a development of Bell's LongRanger. A 206L-3 LongRanger was modified to serve as the 407 demonstrator. The demonstrator used hardware for the 407 and added molded fairings to represent the 407's wider fuselage then under development.
The demonstrator was first flown in 1994, and the 407 program was publicly announced at the Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 1995. The first 407 prototype (C-GFOS) made its maiden flight on June 29, 1995, and the second prototype (C-FORS) followed on July 13, 1995. After a short development program, the first production 407 (C-FWQY/N407BT) flew on November 10, 1995.
The Bell 407 features a four-blade main rotor derived from the OH-58D (Model 406). The blades and hub are of composite construction with unlimited service life, offering improved performance and a smoother ride. The fuselage is 8 inches (20 cm) wider, increasing internal cabin space, and includes main cabin windows that are 35% larger. The more powerful Rolls-Royce/Allison 250-C47 turboshaft allows an increased Maximum Takeoff Weight, improving performance at hotter temperatures and/or higher altitudes. The helicopter has standard seating for two crew and five passengers.
The 407 was certified by Transport Canada on February 9, 1996, with the FAA following shortly after on February 23. Full production began in 1996 at Bell's Mirabel, Quebec, Canada plant and produced 140 airframes in 1997, to fill the initial orders.
In 1995, Bell tested a shrouded tail rotor on the 407, but did not proceed. For a time, Bell studied a Model 407T twin-engine variant, but instead chose to develop the essentially all-new twin-PW206D powered Bell 427.
Bell began deliveries of the 407 in 1996. The 1,000th helicopter was delivered on June 15, 2010. 1,400+ by Dec 2017, and over 1600 were produced by early 2023.
The ARH-70 armed reconnaissance helicopter, developed for the U.S. Army was based on the 407, but canceled on October 16, 2008.
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Bell 407 AI simulator
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Bell 407
The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter. A derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger, the 407 uses the four-blade, soft-in-plane design rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-blade, semi-rigid, teetering rotor of the 206L-4.
In 1993, Bell began the development of the New Light Aircraft as a replacement for its Model 206 series. The program resulted in the 407, a development of Bell's LongRanger. A 206L-3 LongRanger was modified to serve as the 407 demonstrator. The demonstrator used hardware for the 407 and added molded fairings to represent the 407's wider fuselage then under development.
The demonstrator was first flown in 1994, and the 407 program was publicly announced at the Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, in January 1995. The first 407 prototype (C-GFOS) made its maiden flight on June 29, 1995, and the second prototype (C-FORS) followed on July 13, 1995. After a short development program, the first production 407 (C-FWQY/N407BT) flew on November 10, 1995.
The Bell 407 features a four-blade main rotor derived from the OH-58D (Model 406). The blades and hub are of composite construction with unlimited service life, offering improved performance and a smoother ride. The fuselage is 8 inches (20 cm) wider, increasing internal cabin space, and includes main cabin windows that are 35% larger. The more powerful Rolls-Royce/Allison 250-C47 turboshaft allows an increased Maximum Takeoff Weight, improving performance at hotter temperatures and/or higher altitudes. The helicopter has standard seating for two crew and five passengers.
The 407 was certified by Transport Canada on February 9, 1996, with the FAA following shortly after on February 23. Full production began in 1996 at Bell's Mirabel, Quebec, Canada plant and produced 140 airframes in 1997, to fill the initial orders.
In 1995, Bell tested a shrouded tail rotor on the 407, but did not proceed. For a time, Bell studied a Model 407T twin-engine variant, but instead chose to develop the essentially all-new twin-PW206D powered Bell 427.
Bell began deliveries of the 407 in 1996. The 1,000th helicopter was delivered on June 15, 2010. 1,400+ by Dec 2017, and over 1600 were produced by early 2023.
The ARH-70 armed reconnaissance helicopter, developed for the U.S. Army was based on the 407, but canceled on October 16, 2008.
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