Wed, Mar 01, 2006
Seventh And Final New Technology To Be Demonstrated
Bell Helicopter announced at Heli-Expo Tuesday that its new 429
light twin helicopter passed a significant milestone at its
Mirabel, Canada facility, when its new high performance main rotor
system flew for the first time. Bell unveiled the 429 at
Heli-Expo '05 (below) -- at which time it committed to
demonstrating seven new technologies on the aircraft within a
year.
(All right, so they missed that deadline by three weeks --
hardly an eternity in the world of aviation.)
"During this past year we have successfully completed the
evaluation of an improved engine, intake, exhaust, tail rotor
control cables, autopilot, aircraft data interface unit, and now
the main rotor system," said Bill Stromberg, 429 Program Director.
"This is the sixth and final major new system to be demonstrated
before the 429's first flight later this year."
The main rotor blade -- a product of Bell's Modular Affordable
Product Line (MAPL) -- incorporates new advanced manufacturing
technology to make the blades more producible and affordable and
features lower tip speed and swept tip design to reduce external
noise levels.
The blades were produced by ATI, an employee-owned rapid
prototyping facility in Newport News, VA. The rotor hub was
manufactured at Bell's XWorX facility in Texas.
"After two hours of ground testing the blades were successfully
flown for 30 minutes," said Stromberg. Flight testing of the rotor
will continue for the next 2 months in various locations in Canada
to demonstrate stable operation at altitudes to 20,000 ft and down
to -40 degrees Celsius.
The 429 is one of the new products that Bell Helicopter has
introduced during the past year and is a product of Bell's Voice of
the Customer program -- where the customers' input helped shape the
requirements and design. The Voice of the Customer process
continues on the 429 and is now focusing on maintenance planning
and training.
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