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406 instead of a 505


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22 hours ago, GrayHorizons said:

Heliian....you've been around long enough, don't surmise anything when it comes to the french. 😜

Lol,  I couldn't believe the cost of the rr250 parts nowadays.  Almost as expensive as the arriel.  I just think that the arrius is a cute little apu derivative.  The 505 is still ugly though, almost as bad as the 66. 

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Definitely looks related! Butt ugly for sure! Other than having a flat floor I would get an L4....very reliable! Not very fast and boring compared with a 407. 406 would be a sweet ride and definitely a stump puller...would have had me looking for an operator that had one! Have to stick with the 407.

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I've often lusted after the Kiowa warrior as a jetranger guy. They are a c30 but it has a fadec. I'd hopet they wouldn't break down just as much as the 407 does which rains on that parade a little bit. Also a C30 without the front fuel tanks that a longranger has, wouldn't have the best range either. Better than a 530F though I'd imagine.

I'd agree though that it sure looks like bell missed the mark with the 505. Much of the 206 flying that I do is wildlife surveys, foresters looking at trees or cutblocks, fire fighters looking at fires etc. All of those tasks the customers demand or prefer a 206B with bubble windows in the back. Its a shame, because although its quite ugly, the 505 does seem like an economical option if the back seats had a better sideways view. I guess it will make a good taxi in Brazil.

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Never had much down time on 407's other than a couple of #4 bearings in the engine which aint bad after 3000 hrs on 407. On the fuel issue I had to fly an L4 to SA once and we had a very nice plastic fuel cell installed in the back seat area that gave you another hour and a bit of fuel which was nice when I went out of Nassau and didn't see land for 3 hrs and 35 minutes.Landed with 200 pounds of go juice. That tank would fit nicely in the back of a 406 if you weren't hauling passengers. Also you could probably us a tank like the 407 in the baggage area.They also make slider windows for the rear of the 206 which I have used for darting polar bears.Not sure if they have anything like that for a 505. Not sure what the fuel burn is on the C30 in the 406 but it does put out 650 HP so it will be around 300 pph. Would have been an  awesome  replacement for the 206 but somebody dropped the ball!

kiowaoh-58dafghanistan.jpg

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Struggle to come to grips with the aesthetic criticism of the 505, plenty of helicopters are strange looking, that has absolutely nothing to do with utility, performance, or safety. I think the 505 is here to stay and have been surprised by the numbers being adopted globally. Specs, if it lives up to the book are highly impressive. Should prove rock solid too as the running gear is all old hat and shares DNA with a Massey Ferguson somewhere surely as all old Bells do. On the engine, surprised me but was likely a good move, it's a more evolved power plant, support has become very good for the Astar engines this decade that's an old news story the lack of support. Suspect the 505's stove will be easy to support too. 

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