Twin-Engine Helicopter Proving Itself In Global Use

Bell's 429 has passed another milestone with a cumulative 500,000 global fleet hours, a landmark for the multipurpose helicopter. More than 400 have been delivered to customers all over the world, serving as corporate ferry, air ambulance, survey, and utility aircraft.

The lightweight and wide undertail clamshell doors made it a favorite for those operators needing cavernous interior space with an affordable, reliable propulsion system. The 429 has become a valuable workhorse for a number of prestigious rescue and law enforcement agencies, flying anywhere from the metropolitan New York landscape to the Swiss Alps. The 429 offers users a single-pilot IFR helicopter with the reliability and safety of a twin-engine aircraft, making it all the more popular in locales with inclement weather or perilous terrain. Since its 2007 introduction, it’s become a favorite of operators with Swedish National Police, New York Police Department, Canadian Coast Guard, Air Zermatt’s Swiss Alps rescue team.

The Bell's most recent customers include the Kuwaiti Ministry of Health, New South Wales Police, and the Chip Mong company of Cambodia for use as its corporate runabout.

A new variant was displayed at European Rotors 2021 as the Bell 429 ESG law enforcement demonstrator, which recently achieved certification from EASA. Also, in 2021, the Bell 429 was again named the most-favored aircraft in the Business Jet Traveler Survey’s light twin-turbine helicopters category. It’s success in recent years has followed a brand-level awareness of the helicopter’s place in the market, as forecasted in 2018 after it crested 330,000 hours of flight. Back then, Bell noted the upswing in law enforcement adoption, as well as the corporate utility. Those markets have grown, adding over 75 new 429’s to the global fleet since then, increasingly sold to government and police forces.

FMI: www.bellflight.com