Transport Canada, National Civil Aviation Agency Of Brazil Approve The Aircraft

Bell Helicopter on Monday announced the initial certification of the Bell 429WLG by Transport Canada and the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil. Unveiled in October 2013 at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) conference, the helicopter combines the advanced capabilities of the Bell 429 with the added operational flexibility of retractable wheeled landing gear.

“We have worked closely with both Transport Canada and ANAC throughout the development of the Bell 429 program and are pleased they have certified the wheeled landing gear option after careful testing, review and evaluation,” said Danny Maldonado, Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales and Marketing. “With the addition of retractable landing gear, our customers have even greater flexibility to land, taxi and reposition the Bell 429. These benefits mean that both flight crews and passengers can save time and effort getting where they need to go.”

Bell says the 429WLG can land in a larger number of environments and conditions, providing operators of all mission profiles additional flexibility. Its taxiing capability is ideal for both repositioning in limited spaces and situations that require ground taxi, such as positioning closer to fixed-base operators. These benefits mean that both flight crews and passengers can save time and effort getting where they need to go. The Bell 429WLG also has reduced drag due to the loss of skids and an increased cruise speed.

Bell Helicopter announced at NBAA 2013 that the first Bell 429WLG has been purchased by the Argentinean company Rio Iruya and will be used for corporate and VIP transport. The aircraft is expected to be delivered in the first half of this year.

(Image provided by Bell Helicopter)

FMI: www.bellhelicopter.com