What is special about the modern helicopters Vietnam bought from the US?
The Director of the Northern Helicopter Company said that in the near future, the US-made Bell 505 helicopter will be put into operation.
According to initial information, the signing ceremony of the contract to purchase Bell 505 helicopters between Vietnam Helicopter Corporation, Northern Helicopter Company and Bell Helicopter Group took place in October 2017.
It is expected that the company will receive the aircraft at the end of December 2018 and in the first quarter of 2019, these modern helicopters will arrive in Vietnam, be assigned and operated by the Vietnam Helicopter Corporation - Corps 18.
This is an important event, marking a turning point for Vietnam Helicopter Corporation because for the first time the unit operates helicopters manufactured in the US alongside helicopters originating from Russia, Poland or Europe.
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| Bell 505 Jet Range X light utility helicopter. |
The Bell 505 Jet Range X is Bell Helicopter's latest light helicopter, first introduced at the 2013 Paris Airshow and only commercialized in 2017.
The aircraft is 10.53 m long; 1.52 m wide; 3.25 m high. The length of the propeller is 11.28 m and the rotor shaft has a maximum tilt of 3.5 degrees while the tail rotor is 1.65 m long. If calculated from the tip of the propeller to the tip of the tail, the Bell 505 is nearly 13 m long, equivalent to 3 Toyota Innovas lined up one after another.
The heart of the Bell 505 is a Safran HE Arrius 2R engine with a maximum capacity of 505 horsepower, very high performance, reaching a range of 644 km, a ceiling of 5,672 m and a maximum speed of 232 km/h thanks to the integrated fuel tank capacity of 321 liters. The Bell 505 helicopter can operate well for up to 3,000 flight hours before requiring an overhaul.
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| The Bell 505 Jet Range X is considered one of the most advanced light utility helicopters available today. |
The Bell 505 has an empty weight of 1,002 tonnes and a maximum payload of 667 kg (cargo or people inside). The Bell 505 helicopter is operated by a crew of 2 and can carry up to 4 passengers.
The Bell 505 is equipped with the Garmin G1000H instrument system, which provides pilots with better situational awareness. The system includes two high-resolution, multi-function 10.4" LCD screens that display multiple parameters, providing high safety.
It is known that the price of each Bell 505 Jet Range X is currently only about 1.07 million USD. Thanks to its low purchase cost, fuel economy, high safety, and extreme stability, this helicopter line is considered by officers of the 18th Army Corps to be ideal for civilian exploitation missions such as search and rescue, tourism rental... compared to the EC-155B1 or Mi line.
