Bell Model 430

Type (Muster)
Light twin-engined multi-purpose helicopter

Country (Land)
USA

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Bell Helicopter Textron
PO Box 482
Fort Worth, Texas
USA

Phone: 001-817/280-2011
Fax: 001-817/280-3631

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 1 - 2
Passengers (Passagiere): 6 - 9, depending on outfit. Also, EMS outfits with one or two stretchers and medical attendants are possible.

Power plant (Antrieb): 2 x Rolls-Royce (Allison) 250-C40B turboshafts with FADEC
Take-off power (Startleistung): 2 x 584 kW (783 shp) for take-off and 521 kW (699 shp) maximum contiuous. One engine inoperative ratings are 701 kW (940 shp) for 30 seconds of 656 kW (880 shp) for two minutes.
Transmission is rated at 779 kW (1045 shp) for five minutes or 737 kW (989 shp) maximum continuous.
Fuel consumtion is about 88 gallons per hour.

Take-off noise (Startgeräuch): 92,4 EPNdB
Sideline noise: 91,6 EPNdB
Approach noise (Anfluggeräusch): 93,8 EPNdB

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Fuselage length (Rumpflänge): 13,44 m
Length overall, rotors turning (Gesamtlänge): 15,30 m
Width over skids (Breite über Kufen): 2,54 m
Height (Höhe): 4,03 m to rotor top with standard skids, 3,72 m with wheels
Rotor diameter (Hauptrotordurchmesser): 12,80 m
Main rotor disk area (Hauptrotorkreisfläche): 128,7 sq m
Tail rotor diameter (Heckrotordurchmesser): 2,10 m
Tail rotor disk area (Hekcrotorkreisfläche): 3,45 sq m

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 2,87 m without cockpit
Cabin height (Kabinenhöhe): 1,45 m
Cabin width (Kabinenbreite): 1,27 m
Cabin volume (Kabinenvolumen): 4,5 cu m
Baggage hold (Gepäckraum): 1 cu m

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight (Leermasse): 2406 kg with wheels, 2388 kg with skids
Useful load (Zuladung): 1685 kg
Max. external load (max. Außenlast): 1587 kg
Fuel (Kraftstoff): 935 litres in skid-version, 710 litres with wheel undercarriage
Max. take-off weight (Max. Startmasse): 4218 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Maximum level speed (max. Geschwindigkeit): 257 km/h with wheels, 250 km/h with skids
Long range cruise speed (Reisegeschw. für lange Strecken): 243 km/h or 237 km/h with with skids
Service ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 5590 m (18340 ft)
Hover ceiling OGE (Schwebeflughöhe ohne Bodeneffekt): 2665 m
Hover ceiling IGE (Schwegeflughöhe mit Bodeneffekt): 4175 m
Range (Reichweite): 503 km with wheels, 607 km with skids
Max. endurance (max. Flugdauer): 3 hrs 35 min

Costs (Kosten)
A basic helicopter in VFR configuration was priced at 3,75 million US-Dollars in 1999. A top of the range outfit with IFR dual-pilot, auto-pilot and two-tube EFIS sold for 4,295 million US-Dollars.
In 1998, direct operating costs were quoted as 495,51 US-Dollars per hour.

Customers (Kunden)
By the end of 1998, around 50 Bell 430 had been delivered, 11 of them in 1996.
Among the customers ae golfer Greg Norman and HeliFlight Shares of Dallas.

Competitors (Konkurrenz)
Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin II

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The Bell 430 is an improved version of the 230. The main changes include:

fuselage lenghtened by 0.46 m to provide around 20 per cent more cabin space
all composite, hingeless main rotor based on Bell 680 design. This is claimed to give a very smooth ride
more powerful engines with FADEC, uprated transmission
optional EFIS in the cockpit

History (Geschichte)
Bell started preliminary design of the 430 in 1991. The official programme launch came in February 1992.
Two prototypes were converted from Bell 230 airframes. The first flew on 25. October 1994 at the Mirabel plant in Canada, one week ahead of schedule. The second, fitted with a skid undercarriage and complete avionics, followed on 19 December. High altitude trials were conducted at Leadville, Colorado, in the summer of 1995. The first production aircraft flew in August 1995.
Canadian type approval was obtained on 23 February 1996, and deliveries then started on 25 June, when IPTN president Dr. B. J. Habibie took an executive version.
On September 3, 1996, Texas aviators John Williams and Ron Bower completed a record breaking around the world flight in a Bell 430 in 17 days, six hours, 14 minutes. The flight was made in the east to west direction from Fairoaks airport in the UK.
By September 1998, the Bell 430 fleet has accumulated over 9000 flight hours.

Last updated 30. December 1999

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