Bell Expresses Confidence in 407 as it Works to Lift Emergency Order

Why a PHI Bell 407 crashed has not been established.

Bell chairman & CEO Terry Stinson continues to fly his Model 407 "nearly every day" since the FAA and Transport Canada reimposed emergency speed restrictions in January following an accident to an aircraft owned by Petroleum Helicopters.

"It is my belief there is nothing wrong with the airplane," Stinson told Show News."I fly it by myself, nearly every day since the accident, and will continue to do so. I have no concerns at all about the 407."

Three earlier accidents, linked to the tail rotor striking the tail boom, led to maximum speed restrictions that were lifted a year ago,since when the 407 fleet has logged 61,000 flight hours (total 407 hours are now approaching half a million). No cause has been found for the latest accident, and a reduced top speed of 100 kts. was reimposed as a precaution on the 500 Bell 407s now in service.

"We have gone back through all the test data, including films from chase aircraft, verified it is accurate, and that you can go hard left or right rudder at full authorized VNE of 140 kts, and you will not strike the tail boom," said Stinson. "So we don't believe that was the cause of the latest accident."

The data has been made available to all customers for their own evaluation. "Just one said he would like to see it. Everyone else is out flying," said Stinson.