Bell 429 GlobalRanger

The Bell 429 GlobalRanger is a light, twin-engine helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter and Korea Aerospace Industries, based on the Bell 427. First flight of the Bell 429 prototype took place on February 27, 2007, and received type certification on July 1, 2009. The Bell 429 is capable of single-pilot IFR and Runway Category A operations.

Development
The impetus for developing the Bell 429 came primarily from the emergency medical services (EMS) industry, which has been looking for an updated helicopter. The Bell 427 was originally intended to address this market, but the 427's small cabin size would not adequately accommodate a patient litter, and the systems did not support instrument flight rules (IFR) certification. Bell's original concept for the 429 was a stretched model 427 (unveiled as the Bell 427s3i at the 2004 HAI helicopter show), but this still did not provide what Bell and its customer advisers were looking for. Bell abandoned the 427 airframe and went to its MAPL (Modular Affordable Product Line) concept airframe that was still in conceptual development at the time. The 429 employs the all-new modular airframe concept and the advanced rotor blade design from the MAPL program, but maintains a derivative engine and rotor drive system from the 427. The basic model includes a glass cockpit and is certified for single pilot IFR. Bell partnered with Korea Aerospace Industries and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace of Japan in the helicopter's development.

Bell had flown most of the critical MAPL technology components using a 427 test bed aircraft by February 2006. The first completed 429 flew February 27, 2007. Certification was originally planned for late 2007, but program schedule delays, primarily caused by parts and material shortages common to all aviation manufacturers in that time period, caused the manufacturer to stretch the development timetable. In October 2007 the external configuration was set. In February 2008, Bell had three 429s in flight testing that had completed 600 hours.



The helicopter received type certification from Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) on July 1, 2009, and from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by July 7, 2009. EASA certification was announced at Helitech on September 24, 2009. FAA and EASA disagreed with TCCA's weight exemption allowing the 429 to operate for the Canadian Coast Guard.

As of June 2009, the Bell 429 had received over 301 orders. The launch customer for the Bell 429 is Air Methods Corporation, the largest medevac provider in the United States. On July 7, 2009, the first customer aircraft (s/n 57006) was delivered to Air Methods (owner) and Mercy One (operator) at Bell's facility in Mirabel, Quebec.

The 429 conducted its high altitude certification testing at Leadville, Colorado and its high temperature certification at Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Further testing is also underway to establish maximum speeds (Vne) and climb rates (Vy) for operation with various door configurations (fixed, sliding, pilot, passenger, doors off).

Design
The Bell 429 has a 4-blade rotor system with soft-in-plane flex beams. The rotor blades are composite and have swept tips for reduced noise. The tail rotor is made by stacking two, two-blade rotors set at uneven intervals (to form an X) for reduced noise. The combined cabin volume is 204 ft³ (5.78 m³) with a 130 ft³ passenger cabin and 74 ft³ baggage area, with flat floor for patient loading. A set of rear clamshell doors under tail boom is optional for easier patient loading.

The 429 has glass cockpit with 3-axis autopilot and flight director standard. Standard landing gear are skids. A retractable wheel landing gear is optional and adds 5 kt to cruising speed. The helicopter is a single-pilot IFR Category A helicopter. It is capable of operating with one engine inoperative. The main transmission is rated for 5,000 hours between overhauls and the tail-rotor gearbox is rated for 3,200 hours.

Operators



 * Royal Australian Navy
 * 723 Squadron RAN
 * 723 Squadron RAN


 * Canadian Coast Guard (15 on order)
 * Canadian Coast Guard (15 on order)


 * Ministry of Interior (2 on order)
 * Ministry of Interior (2 on order)


 * General Directorate of Security
 * General Directorate of Security


 * Delaware State Police
 * Fairfax County Police Department
 * Texas A&M University
 * New York City Police Department
 * New York City Police Department


 * Wiltshire Air Ambulance
 * Wiltshire Air Ambulance