Bell 430

Bell 430
Bell 430 at Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Role Executive/utility helicopter
Manufacturer Bell Helicopter Textron
First flight October 25, 1994
Introduction 1995
Produced 1996–2008
Number built 136
Developed from Bell 222/230

The Bell 430 is a twin-engine light-medium helicopter built by Bell Helicopter. It is a stretched and more powerful development of the Bell 230, which, in turn, was based on the earlier Bell 222.

Development

While developing the reengined Model 222 as the 230, Bell began preliminary design work on a stretched derivative with a four-bladed main rotor in 1991. The Bell 430 was formally launched in February 1992, with two prototypes modified from Bell 230s. The first of these flew in its new configuration on October 25, 1994, and the second prototype, featuring the full 430 avionics suite, first flew on December 19, 1994.[1]

Production of the Bell 230 ended in August 1995, and 430 production began. The first 430 production aircraft was completed later that year. Canadian certification was awarded on February 23, 1996. Deliveries began in mid-1996.[1]

On January 24, 2008, Bell announced plans to terminate production of its Model 430 after order commitments were fulfilled in 2010.[2] Production ended after 136 helicopters were completed,[3] with the last being delivered in May 2008.[4]

Design

Cockpit of a Bell 430
Bell 430

The Bell 430 features several significant improvements over the 230, the most significant of these being the new four-blade, bearingless, hingeless, composite main rotor. Although both the 230 and 430 are powered by Rolls-Royce (Allison) 250 turboshaft engines, the 430's engines are 10% more powerful. Other changes include the 1 ft 6 in (46 cm) stretched fuselage, providing for two extra seats, an optional EFIS flight deck, and a choice of either skids or retractable wheeled undercarriage.[1]

The typical configuration seats ten, including a pilot and co-pilot with eight passengers in the main cabin behind them in three rows of seats. Six- and eight-place executive layouts are offered. In an EMS role it can carry one or two stretcher patients with four or three medical attendants, respectively. Maximum external load capacity is 3,500 lb (1,585 kg).[1]

Operational history

The Bell 430 entered service in 1996.[5] In 1998, some 50 Bell 430s were in service with 9,000 flight hours totaled.[6]

On September 3, 1996, Americans Ron Bower and John Williams broke the round-the-world helicopter record with the second Bell 430, flying westwards from the UK with a time of 17 days, 6 hours and 14 minutes.[1][4]

Operators

Military

 Bulgaria
 Dominican Republic
 Ecuador

Civilian

Louisiana State Police Bell 430 Patrol Helicopter
 United States

Specifications

Bell 230 and Bell 430 comparison
Model 230 430
Announced 1990 1991
First Flight August 12, 1991 October 25, 1994
Certified March 1992 February 23, 1996
Delivered November 1992 1996
Seats 2 (pilot & copilot) + 5–6 passengers 2 + 6–8
Height 11 ft 8 in (3.56 m) 12 ft 3 in (3.73 m)
Fuselage length 42 ft 3 in (12.88 m) 44 ft 1 in (13.44 m)
Rotor diameter 42 ft (12.80 m)
Length overall 50 ft 3 in (15.32 m)
Engine (2×) Allison 250C30G2 Rolls-Royce 250-C40B
Power (2×) 700 hp (520 kW) 783 hp (584 kW)
Max. speed 140 knots (161 mph, 260 km/h) 140 knots (161 mph, 260 km/h)
Climb rate 1,600 ft/min (8.13 m/s) 1,350 ft/min ( m/s)
Service ceiling 15,500 ft (4,724 m) 14,600 ft (4,450 m)
Hover ceiling 12,400 ft (3,780 m) 11,350 ft (3,459 m)
Fuel capacity 188+ US gal (710+ L) 188+ US gal (710+ L)
Range 378 nmi (434 mi, 700 km) 324 nmi (372 mi, 600 km)
Empty Weight 5,097 lb (2,312 kg) 5,305 lb (2,406 kg)
Maximum Takeoff Weight 8,400 lb (3,810 kg) 9,300 lb (4,218 kg)
Serial Numbers 23001–23038 49001–49123+

Sources: Airliners.net,[16][17] helicopterdirect.com,[18] AircraftOne.com[19]

Accidents

The president of Madagascar has eight Bell 430s. On October 13, 2005 two of these helicopters collided with each other during a visit of the President to Imerin'Imady.[20][21]

A Bell 430 belonging to Ran Air crashed on August 3, 2008 in Andhra Pradesh near Venkatpuram, India. The helicopter collided with a hill under bad weather conditions.[22]

On September 2, 2009, an Andhra Govt. Bell 430 carrying Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and his party from Andhra Pradesh in southern India, went missing over a local stretch of forest. The charred wreckage was found the next morning, crashed on a hilltop in the Nallamala Hills.[23]

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Frawley, Gerard: The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004, p. 46. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
  2. ↑ "Bell Streamlines Product Line to Better Align with Customer Demands" Archived December 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine., Bell Helicopter, January 24, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Bell 430". Jane's Helicopter Markets and Systems. Jane's Information Group, 2009. (subscription article) dated October 20, 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Bell 430". Jane's All the World's Aircraft. Jane's Information Group, 2009. (subscription article) dated April 21, 2009.
  5. ↑ Bell 430 page. aerospace-technology.com
  6. ↑ "Bell Model 430" Archived February 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.. Flug Revue, 30. December 1999.
  7. ↑ "Airscene: Military Affairs: Bulgarian VIP Bell 430". Air International. Vol. 59 no. 6. December 2000. p. 324. ISSN 0306-5634.
  8. ↑ "Dominican Republic Air Force". Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  9. ↑ "armada ecuatoriana". Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Ecuadorian Navy". Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  11. ↑ "AirMed Uath". University Health Care AirMed.org. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Aviation: Current Equipment". New York State Police.
  13. ↑ "NBC2 gets first look at new MEDSTAR chopper". © Copyright 2000 - 2013, WorldNow and WBBH. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  14. ↑ "BHS Fleet". BHS.com. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  15. ↑ http://www.policehelicopterpilot.com/police-helicopter-journal/2009/10/1/louisiana-state-police-bring-air-support-back-to-northern-la.html
  16. ↑ Bell 222 & 230 page. Airliners.net
  17. ↑ Bell 430 page. Airliners.net
  18. ↑ Bell helicopter technical data. helicopterdirect.com
  19. ↑ Helicopter production list. AircraftOne.com
  20. ↑ "Ravalomanana's Crash". razafimahazo. October 13, 2005. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  21. ↑ "Ravalomanana's Crash". razafimahazo. October 13, 2005. Retrieved September 4, 2007.
  22. ↑ "DGCA report" (PDF). April 24, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
  23. ↑ "Andhra CM Chopper Found". India Summary. September 3, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2009.

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