A Leading Candidate for Army's LUH Competition Gets 'Legal'

The Bell 210 medium transport helicopter received its FAA Certification today following a development program that stretched from Texas to Tennessee. Dave Downey, FAA Rotorcraft Directorate Manager presented the aircraft's Type Certificate to Bell CEO Mike Redenbaugh in ceremonies at company headquarters in Fort Worth.

The Bell 210, which made its first flight Dec. 18, 2004, at Bell affiliate company Edwards & Associates, Bristol, Tenn., was also flight tested at company facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. First customer deliveries will begin in November 2005.

"I want to congratulate the employees at Bell Helicopter, both here in Fort Worth and those at the Edwards & Associates operation in Tennessee, whose hard work and dedication to the Bell 210 team has led us to this day," Mr. Redenbaugh said.

"I also want to pass on our sincere thanks to the men and women of the FAA who have worked with our team throughout this certification program," he added.

"The Bell 210 is the perfect solution for the many agencies that need a medium utility helicopter such as Homeland Security, law enforcement or firefighting, " declared Mr. Redenbaugh.

"It combines great performance with an existing logistical and support base which customers consistently rate Number One in the industry, unbeatable Direct Operating Costs and a tremendously low initial acquisition cost. Add to that complete FAA certification and the Bell 210 is truly the best total value proposition to be found in the market today," Mr. Redenbaugh explained.

In addition to its appeal for commercial applications, the Bell 210 helicopter also satisfies the US Army's requirement for a Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). There are many missions now supported by the Army with assets that are marked for replacement in the LUH program that the Bell 210 could more economically perform. These Army Light Utility Helicopters would perform future utility missions for non-combat organizations (TDA), National Guard utility, drug interdiction efforts (RAID), MEDEVAC, and Homeland Defense (HLD) missions.

The Bell 210 helicopter includes dynamic components from the Bell 212 (main rotor hub and blades, tail rotor, main and tail rotor support structure, transmission, rotating controls, and tail boom), and an FAA certified Honeywell T-53-517BCV engine providing a zero-time FAA certified single engine medium utility helicopter.

The Bell 210 is a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) helicopter that will operate for less than $650 per hour, thus allowing the Army to unburden itself of logistics and engineering overhead management by taking advantage of Bell's global, world-class commercial support in spares, manuals, and technical support. This would be similar to the TH-67 program currently in place at Ft. Rucker, Ala. The Bell 210 comes with an excellent commercial products warranty and a significant reduction in operating costs. Cost of the Bell 210 will be approximately $3 million. A comparable sized off-the-shelf commercial aircraft would cost approximately $5 million.

FMI: www.bellhelicopter.textron.com