BELL 417

I heard via the rumor mill that Bell has cancelled the 417. Also
heard that Bell has crashed 3 of the new armed recon helos and the
Army is concidering cacelling the contract. Anyone have any new on
the above taopics?

The 417 cancelation was announced at Heli-Expo 07: fact.
The Army issued a stop work notice to Bell requiring them to stop work
for 30 days and create a plan to restructure the program to get the
costs back down and put the program back on schedule. Bell petitioned
the Army to allow them to continue working while they do the required
restructuring. The Army acquiesced to that request: all fact.
Only one crash has been acknowledged by Bell.

Linc

On Apr 6, 2:54 pm, wrote:
I heard via the rumor mill that Bell has cancelled the 417. Also
heard that Bell has crashed 3 of the new armed recon helos and the
Army is concidering cacelling the contract. Anyone have any new on
the above taopics?

Amazing that Bell cannot even design yet another upgrade to the 206.
I wonder why Eurocopter with freash clean sheet designs is the leading
supplier of helicopters? Just cannot figure that out.

Let's see, Long ranger, 407, 427, 427i (I guess that one did not work
either) and now the 429.

Maybe Bell should hire European engineers and managers.

On Apr 7, 8:16 am, "Linc" wrote:
The 417 cancelation was announced at Heli-Expo 07: fact.
The Army issued a stop work notice to Bell requiring them to stop work
for 30 days and create a plan to restructure the program to get the
costs back down and put the program back on schedule. Bell petitioned
the Army to allow them to continue working while they do the required
restructuring. The Army acquiesced to that request: all fact.
Only one crash has been acknowledged by Bell.

Linc

On Apr 6, 2:54 pm, wrote:

I heard via the rumor mill that Bell has cancelled the 417. Also
heard that Bell has crashed 3 of the new armed recon helos and the
Army is concidering cacelling the contract. Anyone have any new on
the above taopics?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Amazing that Bell cannot even design yet another upgrade to the 206.
I wonder why Eurocopter with freash clean sheet designs is the leading
supplier of helicopters? Just cannot figure that out.

Let's see, Long ranger, 407, 427, 427i (I guess that one did not work
either) and now the 429.

Maybe Bell should hire European engineers and managers.


The 206 was designed before Larry Bell died wasn't it?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Amazing that Bell cannot even design yet another upgrade to the 206.
I wonder why Eurocopter with freash clean sheet designs is the leading
supplier of helicopters? Just cannot figure that out.


Airframes aren't like cars, we dont need new models every year. Look at the
B52. Add to that the fact that no one wants the 1st 100 of any type and you
can understand why they sometimes cancel projects.

Honestly the only thing I wish they'd change about the JetRanger is making
cleaner popout float gear for it. The reason I don't have a 407 is because
four bladed machines are a pain in the butt to house.


Bart

Dear Bart:

Airframes could stand an aerodynamic update, construction materials
and/or methods update, fittings update... Ranger was designed in the
early 60's. Two bladed rotor systems are more subject to pilot error,
strong gusts, limited CG range,...

Bottom line, fresh safety minded new designs sell, not my argument
look at the market.

On Apr 10, 4:40 am, "B4RT" wrote:
wrote in message

oups.com...

Amazing that Bell cannot even design yet another upgrade to the 206.
I wonder why Eurocopter with freash clean sheet designs is the leading
supplier of helicopters? Just cannot figure that out.

Airframes aren't like cars, we dont need new models every year. Look at the
B52. Add to that the fact that no one wants the 1st 100 of any type and you
can understand why they sometimes cancel projects.

Honestly the only thing I wish they'd change about the JetRanger is making
cleaner popout float gear for it. The reason I don't have a 407 is because
four bladed machines are a pain in the butt to house.

Bart