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Bell Model 407

1996 MODERN AIRCRAFT

History of Bell Model 407

The Bell 407 was a four-blade main rotor version of the successful Bell 206 (Type 206L-4) and first flew on 29 June 1995. Entered into service in 1996, the type continues to serve today (2017) in a variety of environments, both military and civilian. Military operators of the Type 407 include El Salvador (Air Force), Iraq (Air Force), Jamaica (Army) and the United Arab Emirates (Air Force).

There are also private, state and special branch market operators. The first Type 407s were delivered in February 1996, and the design entered the Bell Type 427 (which was later replaced by the Type 429) and the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout drone (under development, other Places are described in detail) on this website).

Bell began work on a new light utility helicopter in the early 1990s, when the company was looking for a successor to its long popular Type 206 series (originally developed as a U.S. Army specification).

Using the Type 206 modification as a technology demonstrator, the Type 407 was born, and two prototypes were used during testing, using the composite four-blade main rotor assembly of the OH-58D "Kiowa" military helicopter. An Allison 250-C47 was chosen to power the new design.

Mass production started in 1995 and to date (2017) about 1,100 units have been produced at a cost of about $2. 5 million per unit.

The Bell 407 requires a pilot for basic operation. A typical seating arrangement allows a total of seven people to be taken away. The aircraft can also carry external sub-loads of up to 2,645 pounds. Dimensions include a length of 41.7 feet, a rotor diameter of 35 feet, and a height of 11.7 feet.

Curb weight is 2,670 lbs and MTOW is 6,000 lbs.

Power comes from an Allison 250-C47B turboshaft engine that produces 813 horsepower while powering the four-blade main rotor assembly above and the two-blade tail rotor assembly aft. Performance includes a top speed of 140 knots, a cruising speed of 133 knots and a range of up to 324 nautical miles.

Its service is capped at 18,700 feet.

Externally, the 407 model has the smooth, clean lines of the 206 model. The large windows in the cockpit provide the pilot with excellent visibility. The engine sits above the cabin section, which has side-mounted hinged doors. Raise the tail (composite structure) to help lift the tail rotor off the ground. Small vertical fins are placed on a short horizontal plane in the center of the tail.

At the very end of the tail are vertical dorsal and pelvic fins. The tail rotor is mounted on the port side of the aircraft. The Model 407 uses a simple four-point landing skid arrangement.

Model 407 series variants include Model 417, Model 407 LOH, Eagle Model 407 HP, Model 407AH, Model 407GX, Model 407GT and Model 407GXP. The Type 417 is the civilian version of the planned ARH-70 (see below), while the Type 407 LOH ("Light Observation Helicopter") is the militarized reconnaissance version. The Eagle 407 HP was developed exclusively for the Canadian Eagle Helicopter and features a 1,021 HP Honeywell HTS900 series engine.

Type 407AH became a dedicated armed model for government-level armed forces. 407GX models get a fully digital cockpit with a new set of avionics. The 407GT model is an armed variant of the GX. The 407 GXP becomes an upgraded version of the 407GX with an improved control scheme.

The ARH-70 "Arapahoe" is a new light armed military helicopter developed for the US Army in the 2000s, based on the Type 407. However, the project was later shelved in October 2008, and is described in detail elsewhere on the page.

The Bell 407 also constitutes the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The aircraft is being tested by the U.S. Navy as an unmanned cargo supply system for ocean-going vessels. This helicopter is also described elsewhere on this page.