Bell Helicopter has unveiled two significant product upgrades at Heli-Expo 2013: the Bell 412EPI and 407GT.
The 412EPI upgrade improves the Bell 412EP platform with the Bell BasiX Pro fully integrated glass flight deck, which provides critical flight information at a glance for greater situational awareness and safety. The new Bell 412EPI also incorporates the power of Pratt & Whitney’s PT6T-9 Twin Pac engines and the BLR Strake and FastFin System, which improve hot and high performance by as much as 1,410 pounds of payload capacity. The new Bell 412EPI is displayed Bell Helicopter’s booth at Heli-Expo 2013, March 5-7 in Las Vegas, Nev.
“We’ve added value through increased performance and situational awareness to this already reliable aircraft,” said Danny Maldonado, Bell Helicopter executive vice president, Sales and Marketing. “The benefits of these flight deck upgrades have been proven onboard the Bell 429 and now we can offer Bell 412 customers coupled WAAS approach capability, a Power Situation Indicator, on screen performance calculations and a touch screen GPS interface provided by the Garmin GTN-750. The Bell 412EPI is a workhorse for everything from law enforcement to oil and gas transport, ideal for any mission requiring power and performance.”
The Bell 412EPI offers a rugged airframe built with safety in mind, as well as upgraded engines that provide 15 percent more horsepower than the Bell 412EP. The Bell BasiX Pro system features four 10.4” high resolution LCD primary/multi-function display units for vital flight information in an easy-to-scan layout. The system is specifically designed to meet the requirements of twin-engine helicopters and is optimized for IFR, Category A and JAR OPS3 compliant operations. The avionics suite also includes high resolution digital maps, electronic charts and approach plates, ADS-B transponder and optional HTAWS and XM satellite links.
The Bell 407GT, meanwhile, is the armed version of the Bell 407GX, the company’s state-of-the-art light commercial helicopter. The commercially qualified Bell 407GT incorporates the performance and reliability of the Bell 407 platform with the Garmin G1000H flight deck, providing critical flight information at a glance for greater situational awareness. The 407GX can be equipped with infrared cameras, light munitions and precision weapons systems, including laser-guided rockets and missiles. The new Bell 407GT is also on display in Bell Helicopter’s booth at Heli-Expo 2013.
“The 407GT is a ’force multiplier,’ with mission capabilities ranging from tactical air assault and troop escort to reconnaissance and search and rescue,” said Danny Maldonado. “The proven performance of the Bell 407GX platform provides our customers an aircraft that is ready to fly when duty calls, while powerful munitions capabilities coupled with an advanced flight deck ensures mission success.”
The Bell 407GT features a highly flexible and configurable weapons system for tactical operations, including infrared camera system with laser designation capability, weapons management system, universal weapons pylon (UWP), tactical radio suite and aircraft survivability equipment.
The UWP, derived from the battle-tested Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, provides a stable platform for precise delivery of ordnance and can be quickly reconfigured for machine guns or rockets. The pylon can also be easily removed to meet multiple mission requirements such as search and rescue or medical evacuation. Light munitions capabilities of the 407GT include Dillon M13D Mini-guns, .50 caliber machine guns or 2.75 in. rockets, as well as laser-guided weapons featuring a standoff range of more than 5,000 m.
The 407GT includes the Garmin G1000HTM flight deck with twin 10.4” high resolution LCD screens, hosting advanced integrated cockpit and multi-function display information in an easy to scan layout. The aircraft also features a night vision-compatible instrument panel and superior long-range reconnaissance and laser designation capabilities, with options including the Wescam MX-15DI and the FLIR Systems 230-HD. High-visibility windows and doors, sliding on both sides for rapid ingress and egress, also enhance situational awareness. A suite of aircraft survivability equipment is available to further enhance safety.
A variety of optional kits, designed to meet the needs of any tactical mission, will be available for the Bell 407GT with export compliance approval as required. Kits include: AGM-114 Hellfire, General Dynamics GAU-19/B .50 caliber machine gun, HMP-400 machine gun pod, M260 2.75 in. 7-tube rocket launcher, Advance Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS), LifePort Armor Protection System and more.
