Bell407 Vs 350b2

[WTF_was_that]

New B3's are dual hydraulics and dual FADEC. The 407 has no redundant systems.

 

 

 

 

 

[Black Mike]

If you want high and hot you need a L-4 with high altitude tailrotor- gross weight to 12,000 feet D.A. We had ours hovering 11,400 feet OGE with 2 hours fuel, 4 passengers and gear, turn any direction in hover, lots of % left. costs about $30. more to operate than a JetRanger. easy on engine and transmission overhaul. Unfortunately hard to find and expensive to buy.

B.M.

[helidom]

Prices are low these days. We were offered a new B3 for under 2 million. Not sure if Bell can afford to supply a 407 for that kind of a bargain. L-4? Seriously though!

[pilot5]

New B3's are dual hydraulics and dual FADEC. The 407 has no redundant systems.

 

 

 

 

The idea of dual hydraulics I like, it's the As350 weak spot.

 

DOM, if the the fellow still has that B3 send me PM with contact.Appreciated.

 

The L4 is the same price as a 407 almost, there a few for sale in Ireland. It's great machine form what I have been told and cheap to run. Won't lift as much as the 407 though.

 

It's a really tough call to get a all round everything.

 

 

[DGP]

I fly and fix both the L4 and 407...lot more maint on the L...the ideal L4 would have a high alt tailrotor which is the same one that is on the 407...and the L won't lift anywhere near what the 407 will...only problem with the 407 is when temps get over 30C...you have to use the tot gauge for your limiter...

[T-rex]

Pilot 5

 

Before you get into a B3 better check out the engine status, then Turbomeca's engine overhaul prices, and FADEC software version on the aircraft. First overhaul averages $500,000K so be warned! Last time we did a software update with Eurocopter, it was not free. Awesome aircraft but very pricey engine.

[kube]

Pilot 5

 

Before you get into a B3 better check out the engine status, then Turbomeca's engine overhaul prices, and FADEC software version on the aircraft. First overhaul averages $500,000K so be warned! Last time we did a software update with Eurocopter, it was not free. Awesome aircraft but very pricey engine.

 

From the R&O side , The Bell & RR combination has the advantage of many shops to O/H and maintain the major components. The choices on the Euro machine are more limited. This will effect both cost and down time.

[Black Mike]

Prices are low these days. We were offered a new B3 for under 2 million. Not sure if Bell can afford to supply a 407 for that kind of a bargain. L-4? Seriously though!

Helidom,

 

Try your 407 at 8000-10,000 feet on a hot day- good luck comparing with the L-4. I have used both up their. How about reading the flight manual on both L-4 w/High alt tailrotor and 407 too, this may open your eyes. I agree with you for the low elevation flying however (we are never their).

Don't know anything about the B-3 except too expensive to operate from what I hear.

 

There is a reason why used L-4's are as expensive to buy as a B-3.

 

B.M.

[Black Mike]

I fly and fix both the L4 and 407...lot more maint on the L...the ideal L4 would have a high alt tailrotor which is the same one that is on the 407...and the L won't lift anywhere near what the 407 will...only problem with the 407 is when temps get over 30C...you have to use the tot gauge for your limiter...

DGP,

L-4 high alt. tailrotor is different to the 407, just looks the same. A little shorter and narrower blades. 407 style hub with different feathering bearings. Operating system different too. It took a long time to figure this out but we finally did. Even many at Bell don't know the difference.

B.M.

[Happyguy]

The updates on the Bell FADEC should be free 'cause the system still has several bugs, not the least of which is recording erroneous and incorrect exceedances requiring unecessary maintenance intervention. Also, there is no redundancy.

The MGT limits at high OAT remind me of the C18 vs C20, a step backwards.

The B3 is by far the better machine which is one reason why they are back ordered.

The other reason, besides perfomance and relability is the customers prefer them !!

But of course there is the L4.......still prefer the B3.