Bell 429 Light Twin Ready to Roll

Bell Helicopter of Texas has just begun deliveries on its $5 million 429 GlobalRanger, quite possibly the most advanced light twin all weather (IFR) chopper ever created. Thanks to Pratt & Whitney PWC207D1 turbine engines with, mostly composite construction, an all-graphite tail boom and X-shaped tail rotor, the 429 is incredibly fast, with a maximum cruising speed of 277 km/h. On the inside it’s also impressively quiet, impeccably appointed and more spacious than any heli in its class.

Digital fuel controls ensure the engines perform at maximum fuel efficiency even at the highest altitudes and temperatures. The spacious cargo area can accommodate golf bags or skis with ease for those who like to mix business with pleasure. Able to land just about anywhere, from mountains to tall buildings and everything in between, Bell expects the newest member of its fleet to give competitors like Eurocopter and Augusta, and judging by the air show pre-orders they racked up that could well be the case.

Tags: 429 globalranger, bell, Pratt & Whitney, pwc207d1

This entry was posted on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 10:35 am and is filed under Aviation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.