Orders Are Beginning to Mount for the Samsung/Bell SB427 Helo

Twenty-five letters of intent have been signed for the SB427 helicopter to be built by the partnership of Samsung Aerospace and Bell Helicopter. Samsung Aerospace President and CEO Hai Kyoo Lee expects to converts many of those LOI's into firm orders during the next year.

The SB427 program marks Samsung's first civil helicopter program jointly developed with a foreign manufacturer, and is the first program where a Korean company is playing a part in the development, production and sale of a complete aircraft.

Participation in the SB427 is particularly valuable to Korea's aerospace industry because the Korea Fighter Program (KFP) is expected to wind down by mid-2000 and production of the KTX-2 jet trainer is not planned to begin until around 2005. Samsung Aerospace is the prime contractor for KFP; deliveries of the domestically made F-16 fighter are expected by the end of 1999. KFP is the Republic of Korea Air Force's biggest procurement program.

"Significant importance is also given for this program as it will secure production works and maintenance of technologies even after the end of the KFP," Lee said of the SB427 effort.

Under a license agreement, Samsung Aerospace is the sole-source manufacturer of SB427 cabins and tailbooms. Flight dynamics will be built by Bell in Fort Worth, Texas, with final assembly at Bell's Mirabel, Quebec, plant.

Samsung is responsible for marketing the 427 in Koreas and China, and will handle final assembly of the helicopters at its Sachon plant for aircraft sold in those markets.

The 427 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada 600-shp PW206D turboshaft engines, and incorporates a new, flat-pack main transmission with direct input from the two engines. Flight dynamics are based on the four-blade bearingless main rotor system and tail rotor from the United States. Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. The multi-mission aircraft will carry seven passengers plus pilot.

Samsung currently builds cabins and tailbooms for Bell 212 and 412 medium twin-engine helicopters, and exports an average of five fuselages a month to Bell.

"The SB427 Korean-assembled units are only part of the equation for us," said Lee. "We also supply parts for the Bell-assembled helicopters. We definitely would like to see that our investment and our technology accumulated through the development of the SB427 lead into Korea's new military helicopter program to replace 500 McDonnell Douglas helicopters."