General Aviation

Bell 407

Manufacturer: BELL

The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine civil utility helicopter developed from the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger.

Aircraft Facts

Type Key
bell-407
Class
General Aviation
Registry Count
371
Example Registration
N10LE

Specifications

Length
12.7 m / 41 ft
Height
3.56 m / 11 ft
Max Speed
260 km/h / 160 mph
Cruise Speed
246 km/h / 153 mph
Range
600 km / 324 nmi
Ceiling
5700 m / 18690 ft
First Flight
1995-06-29
Production Start
1995
Total Built
1600

Aircraft Overview

History

Bell began development in 1993. The first prototype flew on 29 June 1995, the first production aircraft flew in November 1995, certification followed in February 1996, and deliveries began that year.

Design

The 407 combines a widened LongRanger-derived fuselage with a four-blade composite rotor derived from the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and a Rolls-Royce/Allison 250-C47 turboshaft. Standard seating is for two crew and five passengers.

Variants

Variants include the glass-cockpit 407GX, GXP, and GXi; the armed 407GT; and military or unmanned developments including the ARH-70 and MQ-8C. The planned Bell 417 civil derivative was canceled.

Operations

Bell 407s serve civil, government, and military operators in roles including transport, emergency medical service, law enforcement, utility work, reconnaissance, and training.

Notable Facts

  • The first Bell 407 prototype flew on 29 June 1995.
  • The 407 was developed from the 206L-4 LongRanger.
  • Its four-blade composite rotor traces to the OH-58D.
  • Transport Canada and the FAA certified the 407 in February 1996.
  • More than 1,600 had been produced by early 2023.

Variants

  • 407- 371 registrations - Example N10LE

Machine-Readable Resources

Sources