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/ Vol. 5 / No.4 / APRIL 2013
On February 22 Bell Helicopter,
announced the delivery of two Bell
429s, one to the Nigeria Police Air
Wing (NPAW) and another to the
Nigeria Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA). These Nigerian
deliveries are the first 429 deliveries
on the continent of Africa. NPAW
will utilize the Bell 429 for general
law enforcement, surveillance and
force projection. NEMA will fly
the aircraft for disaster relief and
humanitarian support missions.
"Our Nigerian customers are
thrilled to be the first Bell 429
operators in Africa. The Bell 429 is
the most technologically advanced
and capable light-twin helicopter
in the marketplace and will serve
the NPAW and NEMA well for
many years to come," said Robert
Prentice, vice president, Aircraft
Sales, Africair, Inc., a Bell Helicopter
independent representative in Africa.
"They are particularly impressed
with Bell Helicopter's reputation
for exceptional product support."
The NPAW and NEMA selected
the Bell 429 for is large cabin size,
state-of-the-art avionics, its smooth
and fast ride, and the EASA-approved
Bell Helicopter maintenance
program that ensures superior
post-delivery support and service.
NPAW is a long-standing Bell
Helicopter customer, having operated
several Bell helicopter models
including the Bell 47, 206, 427, 412,
and now, the Bell 429. Both NPAW
and NEMA formally accepted the
Bell 429s in Piney Flats, Tenn.
at Bell Helicopter's customizing
facility. Final delivery of the aircraft
took place upon completion of
EASA-approved customizations.
The Bell 429 is the world's
newest and most advanced
light twin-engine helicopter. It
has conducted extensive flight
demonstrations in every continent,
except Antarctica, and has been
certified in more than 40 countries.
With configuration options
ranging from VIP to HEMS, law
enforcement, utility and oil &
gas, the Bell 429 offers superior
mission capability and adaptability.
Bell Helicopter is home to the
industry's largest customer support
network made up of more than
100 customer service facilities
in 34 countries, six strategically
located supply centers, 47 customer
support representatives and 43
dedicated product support engineers
all focused on fulfilling customer
requirements, increasing global
responsiveness and lowering
direct operating costs. ·
Bell Helicopter Delivers First Bell 429s to Nigeria
by Cesaré de VIlliers
Helicopter News
The United States Air Force is likely
to see major modifications to its
OH-58F Kiowa Warrior helicopter
if the AVX Aircraft Company shows
that the modification is feasible
once it concludes the Configuration
Trades Analysis studies for the Joint
Multi Role helicopter concept.
AVX's proposed modification
of the Kiowa Warrior will meet
or exceed all of the Army's
Key Performance Parameters
(KPP's) at the lowest cost.
The company was awarded
a contract worth approximately
$4 million which calls for AVX
to conduct studies that define an
objective aircraft that represents
an affordable, technically feasible
New Look for
OH-58F Kiowa
Warrior
aircraft design that meets a provided
set of performance attributes.
The AVX Modification
TechnologyTM (AVX MT) can
be used to modify existing fleets
of helicopters such as the Kiowa
Warrior fleet to provide greater
aerodynamic efficiency, 20% or
more speed increase, range, 30%
increase in fuel efficiency, ability
to operate at higher altitudes and
hotter temperatures (6K/95 degrees),
HOGE and utility than conventional
helicopters such as the OH-58F.
In order to achieve this the
current OH-58F main rotor, drive
system and tailboom/tail rotor
is replaced with new AVX MT
components at the lowest cost
possible. AVX Modification
TechnologyTM can be used to modify
other fleets of helicopters as well.
A counter rotating coaxial main
rotor does not require an anti-torque
device as the upper and lower rotor's
collective pitch are rigged so that
the driving torques are equal and
opposite. Because the coaxial rotor
does not require an anti-torque
device such as a tail rotor, Fenestron,
or Notar, a coaxial rotor helicopter
requires about 10% less power than
a single rotor/tail rotor helicopter.
In addition to the power saved by
eliminating the anti-torque device, a
coaxial rotor requires less power due
to favourable interaction of the upper
and lower rotor wakes. The coaxial
rotor's reduced power required
relative to other rotor configurations
can be used in several ways.
Cruise Performance
The AVX coaxial main rotor/dual
ducted fan configuration achieves
a higher speed than conventional
helicopters (coax, single rotor,
or tandem) by virtue of auxiliary
propulsion (the ducted fans),
maintaining a level fuselage
attitude, and low drag airframe
design. The ducted fans provide
all of the propulsive force to
overcome parasite drag; the rotor
only provides lift in cruise.
In conventional helicopters
the rotor is "tilted" to provide the
propulsive force. The rotor incurs
an increase in profile power and
induced power when it provides the
propulsive force, which makes it
less efficient than the ducted fans
as a source of propulsive force.
When the rotor is tilted to provide
the propulsive force the fuselage
pitches nose down which increases