Fly Helicopter

The Bell Model 407 is a civil utility helicopter, an offshoot of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 uses a 4-bladed rotor system with a rigid, composite rotor hub in place of the Model 206's 2-bladed conventional rotor. The Bell 407 is often used for corporate and offshore transport, as an air ambulance, law enforcement, electronic news gathering and movie making.

Development history. In 1993, Bell's began to development the New Light Aircraft as a substitute for its Model 206 series. The program lead to the 407, an evolutionary development of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. A 206L-3 LongRanger was converted as the concept demonstrator 407 and first flew in this form on April 21, 1994, while the 407 was first publicly announced at the Las Vegas Heli-Expo in January 1995. The first pre-production 407 flew in June 1995, and the first production 407 flew in November 1995. Customer deliveries began the following February. The Bell 407 features the four blade main rotor developed for the OH-58 (Model 406). The blades and hub use composite construction, have no life limits, and provide improved performance and better ride comfort. The 407's cabin is also 8 in (18 cm) wider cabin, increasing internal cabin width and space, and features 35% larger main cabin windows. The more powerful Rolls-Royce (Allison) 250-C47 turboshaft allows an increase in max takeoff weight and improves performance at hotter temperatures and/or higher altitudes. In 1995, Bell studied fitting the 407 with a shrouded tail rotor, but did not proceed. For a time, Bell studied developing the Model 407T twin, but instead chose to develop the essentially all new twin PW206D powered Bell 427.

The ARH-70 armed reconnaissance helicopter, is being improved and developed for the U.S. Army is based the 407. The Bell 417 was a growth variant of the Bell 407, in essence a civil version of the ARH-70 armed reconnaissance helicopter for the US Army. The 417 made its first flight on June 8, 2006. The 417 was to be powered by a Honeywell HTS900 turboshaft engine, producing 970 shp (720 kW) and includes full FADEC controls. The cabin will seat 5 passengers in club-seating configuration, in addition to the crew of two. The civilian 417 was canceled at Heli-Expo 2007 in Orlando, but the ARH-70 will continue production.

Polar First was an around-the-world, pole-to-pole record flight flown by Colin Bodill and Jennifer Murray utilizing a standard Bell 407. The flight started from Bell's facility at the Fort Worth Alliance Airport on December 5, 2006 and was finished upon the return of the helicopter to the same facility on May 23, 2007. The team flew about 36,000 miles (57,900 km) over 189 days and 300 flight hours, through 34 different countries. The flight run in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society to provide educational outreach to 28 international schools, which were visited during the trip. The project also performed as a fundraiser for the SOS Children's Villages.

Characteristics:
Crew: 1 pilot
Capacity: Typical seating configuration for seven comprising pilot and passengers, with five passengers in main cabin. Max hook capacity 1200 kg (2645 lb).
Length: 41 ft 8 in (12.7 m)
Rotor diameter: 35 ft 0 in (10.67 m)
Height: 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m)
Disc area: 962 ft² (89 m²)
Empty weight: 2668 lb (1210 kg)
Useful load: 2347 lb (internal) (1065 kg (internal))
Max takeoff weight: 6,000 lb (2,722 kg)
Maximum speed: 140 knots (260 km/h)
Cruise speed: 133 knots (246 km/h) Range: 330 mi (612 km)
Service ceiling 18,690 ft (5,698 m)
Powerplant: 1× Allison 250-C47 turboshaft, 700 shp (520 kW)
Propellers: 4 blade rotor