Bell 430

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox aircraft

The Bell 430 is an American/Canadian 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 2008.[2] Production ended after 136 helicopters were completed,[3] with the last being delivered in May 2008.[4]

Design

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 Script error: No such module "convert". 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 Script error: No such module "convert"..[1]

Operational history

The Bell 430 entered service in 1996, with thirteen delivered that year.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". In 1998, some 50 Bell 430s were in service with 9,000 flight hours totaled.[5]

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

File:Bell 430 helicopter exterior 2.jpg
Bell 430

Military

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Civilian

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Accidents

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[17] leaving no survivors, five persons deceased.

Specifications

File:Bell 430 orthographical image.svg
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 Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Fuselage length Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Rotor diameter Script error: No such module "convert".
Length overall Script error: No such module "convert".
Engine (2×) Allison 250C30G2 Rolls-Royce 250-C40B
Power (2×) Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Max. speed Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Climb rate 1,600 ft/min (8.13 m/s) 1,350 ft/min (6.86 m/s)
Service ceiling Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Hover ceiling Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Fuel capacity 188+ US gal (710+ L) 188+ US gal (710+ L)
Range Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Empty Weight Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Maximum Takeoff Weight Script error: No such module "convert". Script error: No such module "convert".
Serial Numbers 23001–23038 49001–49123+

Sources: Airliners.net,[18][19] helicopterdirect.com,[20] AircraftOne.com[21]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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  1. ↑ a b c d e Frawley, Gerard: The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004, p. 46. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd., 2003. Template:ISBN.
  2. ↑ "Bell Streamlines Product Line to Better Align with Customer Demands" Script error: No such module "webarchive"., Bell Helicopter, January 24, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Bell 430". Jane's Helicopter Markets and Systems. Jane's Information Group, 2009. (subscription article)Script error: No such module "Unsubst". dated October 20, 2009.
  4. ↑ a b "Bell 430". Jane's All the World's Aircraft. Jane's Information Group, 2009. (subscription article)Script error: No such module "Unsubst". dated April 21, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Bell Model 430" Script error: No such module "webarchive".. Flug Revue, 30. December 1999.
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Bell 222 & 230 page. Airliners.net
  19. ↑ Bell 430 page. Airliners.net
  20. ↑ Bell helicopter technical data. helicopterdirect.com
  21. ↑ Helicopter production list Script error: No such module "webarchive".. AircraftOne.com

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External links

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