Vertical Magazine reports that the first Royal Canadian Air Force Bell CH-146 Griffon to have completed the CH-146C Mk II upgrade “has performed its maiden flight, the manufacturer has announced. The modification to the RCAF’s CH-146 Griffons — a variant of the Bell 412EP — is being completed under the Griffon Limited Life Extension (GLLE) project, which is designed to extend the fleet’s service life to at least 2031.”
Full Story (Vertical Magazine)
Tag: Bell
Bell Promoting Range of Helicopters at Dubai Air Show
FlightGlobal reports, “Bell is promoting a range of helicopters at this year’s Dubai Air Show, including the Bell 429 configured for parapublic missions and the Bell 505, which has proven popular as a trainer. Two Bell helicopters are in the static display at the show: a Bell 429 operated by the Abu Dhabi Police and a Bell 407M used by an undisclosed military customer.” The Bell 429 “features an electro-optical/infrared sensor with an operator’s station. It also has a winch, spotlight, and a beam across the top of the cabin that allows special forces to conduct fast-roping descents.” According to FlightGlobal, the “two helicopters are part of a broader Textron Aviation presence at this year’s show, which also includes fixed-wing aircraft.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal)
Lilium Progresses Along Path of Producing its Lilium Jet Air Taxi
Aviation Week reported that Lilium has “signed up a supplier of silicon-anode battery cells for its Lilium Jet electric air taxi, outlined its road map for battery improvements, and hinted at ambitions to supply its battery technology to a wider range of electric aircraft for the regional market.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
NASA Sends Astronauts on Spacewalk to Upgrade Solar Power of ISS
Aviation Week reported that NASA pressed ahead “with upgrades to the solar power generation system aboard the International Space Station (ISS) with a Dec. 3 spacewalk by astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio for the installation of the third of six planned Roll Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs).”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
NTSB Recommends Bell 407 Inspections after Inflight Failure
Aviation Week reported that the National Transportation Safety Board, “citing the risk of a catastrophic inflight failure, is urgently recommending U.S. and Canadian regulators require ‘immediate and more frequent inspections’ of certain Bell 407 helicopter components.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)
Bell Developing Militarized Versions of its Civil Helicopter Line
Vertical Magazine (CAN) reports that Bell is “developing militarized versions of its civil helicopter line to bring a low-cost defensive rotary-wing capability to market, with the main target being countries that may have previously flown Russian-built airframes. … Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the implementation of crippling economic sanctions on the former, and these are having a knock-on impact on any country attempting to operate a Russian helicopter.” According to the article, “Bell’s solution is to offer civil aircraft outfitted with military equipment, and the first type available is the Bell 407.” The militarized helicopter is “equipped with a weapon mounting system – installed along the rear cabin and protruding from the cabin doors – with four mounting stations. A multi-sensor imaging system is mounted under the aircraft’s nose.” Michael Deslatte, VP and program director of H-1/Special Mission Aircraft at Bell, said that the company is “focused on providing a level of capability that was ‘a little more approachable,’ with the aircraft sold either through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program or as a direct commercial sale, depending on the country and licensing required.”
Full Story (Vertical Magazine)
Bell Reports Decline In Year-Over-Year Helicopter Deliveries for Q4
Aviation International News reports that Bell delivered 57 helicopters in the fourth quarter of 2020, down from 76 deliveries in the same period a year prior. Bell reported “revenue of $871 million,” which “was down from $961 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, while profit declined by $8 million to $110 million.” Backlog “was $5.3 billion, compared with $6.9 billion a year ago.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Bell Shows Off Autonomous Pod Transport at Air Medical Conference
Aviation International News reports, “Bell has brought its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) eVTOL this week to the 2022 Air Medical Transport Conference in Tampa, Florida.” The company has utilized the aircraft for years and is targeting a production version “that will deliver 100 pounds, 100 miles, at 100 knots per hour, said Bell executive Lane Evans.” Bell said there is a lot of testing already done, but the company is waiting for FAA rules to catch up with the capabilities of the craft.
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Video
First Autonomous Flight of the Bell Autonomous Pod Transport 70, Aug 26, 2019
(Bell; YouTube)
Bell Autonomous eVTOL Completes NASA Flight Trials
Aviation International News reported that Bell successfully demonstrated its Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) eVTOL “with the use of ground-based detect-and-avoid (DAA) sensors as part of a NASA Systems Integration and Operationalization project.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Bell Video: Bell Autonomous Pod Transport 70 Makes First Autonomous Flight
Global Shortfall in Firefighting Rotorcraft Prompts Reboot of Bell’s 214ST
Aviation Week reports, “Bell’s 214ST is set to become the latest legacy helicopter to go back into production to address global shortfalls in rotary-wing firefighting capability. Australia’s McDermott Aviation, which owns the type certificate to the twin-engine, 8-metric-ton helicopter, is planning to produce new-build versions of the rotorcraft. It will be powered by either the General Electric CT7/T700 or Safran’s Aneto turboshaft. McDermott currently owns all 24 of the remaining operational 214STs of the 85 that were built. It has been using them on firefighting contracts, most notably in Greece, where the company had 14 aircraft deployed last year.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)