Bell Modular Affordable Product Line (MAPL) and New Medium Twin (NMT)

[hesham]

Hi,

Bell plans to develop a new medium twin-turbine helicopter as the
second members of its Modular Affordable Product Line (MAPL),the
New Medium Twin (NMT) is the Model-429,it will carry 16-passenger,
and the MAPL-351 five seat to succeed the Model-206B-3 and MAPL-381
to follow Model-206L-4 as single engined and for new light twin,the
eight seat MAPL-382.

 

[CammNut]

The New Medium Twin (NMT) is not the Bell 429 - the 429 is an eight-passenger light twin that is in flight test at Bell Canada (see pic). It is the first Bell helicopter to incorporate MAPL technologies, but it is not strictly a member of the MAPL family of new designs. The NMT is planned as Bell's next new helicopter, but is also not strictly part of MAPL, which just covers light singles and twins. The NMT is planned to replace the 412 medium twin and compete with the AW139 and S-76D, but has not been launched yet. Nor have any of the other MAPL designs mentioned. Here are some of the MAPL concept studies:

 

[CammNut]

By the way, 351 = 3 blades, 5 seats, 1 engine; 382 = 3 blades, 8 seats, 2 engines

 

[Jemiba]

And here's the first authentic photo of the Bell 429
(4 blades, 2 seats 9 engines), all ohter stuff about
this type is just clever desinformation ! ;D

Sorry for that ....

 

[yasotay]

Cam- you beat me to the scanner. ;D

I was under the impression that the GBA project was exclusively a DARPA effort and in no way associated with the Army JHL CDA. I was under the impression that it there was no shipboard requirement.

 

[Stargazer]

[quote author=hesham]Bell plans to develop a new medium twin-turbine helicopter as the second members of its Modular Affordable Product Line (MAPL)

As CammNut points out, the 429 and NMT are two different things. The NMT itself is closer to the S-92 in size than the S-76 or AW139.

The 351, 381 and 382 were stillborn, and are not active programs.[/quote]

 

[Stargazer]

The forgotten link in the MAPL genealogy was the Model 407 MAPL demonstrator (modified from the first Model 407) which used a unique tail fan fenestron (an unusual configuration for Bell, only tried once before on a 222). I have only been able to find the two pictures attached below and these articles:

Bell Demonstrates MAPL
Based On 30 Years Of Research
Wed, Jul 21, 2004

Bell's MAPL tail fan demonstrator made its first flight last week at Bell's new XworX research center in Arlington (TX).

On Thursday July 15th, the aircraft lifted into a hover, performed some low-speed maneuvers including pedal turns, and landed. The demonstrator will be used to explore the flight characteristics of this protected, low-noise anti-torque device intended for use on Bell's new MAPL line of light helicopters (the Modular Affordable Product Line.)

Bell CEO Mike Redenbaugh said in a statement to ANN, "This is an extension of protected anti-torque development at Bell that started in the 1970s with small-scale testing and includes the Ducted Tail Rotor demonstrations done ten years ago. We are developing a tail rotor for our customers that will be quieter, more effective, and more reliable with lower operating costs."

After the flight, pilot Jim McCollough said, "This aircraft is easy to fly. The workload in hover is very low." Observers described the tail fan as practically inaudible. "You can occasionally hear a purring sound," said one. The demonstrator is an experimental Bell 407 with a forty-inch diameter fan and duct, which replace the sixty-five inch diameter tail rotor. The tail fan incorporates technology developed during bench testing completed earlier this year, many features of which are covered by new patent disclosures. It has been designed to allow testing in multiple different duct configurations, to provide information on their performance and acoustics in hover and forward flight. The test program will be conducted at the XworX facility and at Leadville, Colorado to obtain high-altitude performance data.

The tail fan is only one of many new technologies being developed specifically for the MAPL family, including an advanced rotor demonstrator planned to fly later this year. The first aircraft in the MAPL family is expected to be available in 2008, although some of these new technologies are mature and are being incorporated in Bell's 427i announced at HAI earlier this year.

Source: http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=6b326e57-c80e-48ce-8ca1-63d474f2ca3a

MAPL 'TailFan' demonstrator.

Bell 407 (N41835) modified with a 1.02 m (3 ft 4 in) diameter fan and duct replacing the standard tail rotor, made its first flight at Bell's XworX research center in Arlington, Texas, on 15 July 2004. It will be used for evaluation of the Bell TailFan demonstrator performance and acoustics of various duct configurations in hover and forward flight. During altitude flight testing at Bell's facility in Leadville. Colorado, which was completed in October 2004, the MAPL demonstrator achieved hover out of ground effect (HOGE) at more than 3,516 m (11,700 ft), flight at more than 3.962 m (13.000 ft), and sideways flight up to 45 kt (83 km/h: 52 mph).

Some MAPL technology was introduced on the Bell 429 GlobalRanger. announced at the HAI Convention in Anaheim. California on 6 February 2005.

Source: Jane's All the World's Aircraft, McGraw-Hill, 2007

The tail fan demonstrator aircraft completed its first flight last July. The demonstrator is being used to explore the flight characteristics of this protected, low-noise anti-torque device intended for use on Bell's new MAPL (Modular Affordable Product Line) of light helicopters.
The tail fan demonstrator is an experimental Bell 407 with a 40-in diameter fan and duct, which replace the 65-in diameter tail rotor. The tail fan incorporates technology developed during bench testing completed in early 2004, many features of which are covered by new patent disclosures. It has been designed to allow testing in multiple duct configurations to provide information on their performance and acoustics in hover and forward flight.
The tail fan is one of several new technologies being developed specifically for the MAPL family, including an advanced rotor demonstrator that was scheduled to fly in late 2004. The first aircraft in the MAPL family is expected to be available in 2008, though some of the new technologies are mature and could be incorporated in existing Bell aircraft.

Source: Aerospace Engineering, Society of Automotive Engineers, 2005



Model: 407
Year built: 1995
Construction Number (C/N): 52901
Number of Seats: 7
Number of Engines: 1
Engine Manufacturer and Model: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B
Registration Number: N41835
Also Registered As: C-GFOS

Delivery: 2006-07-14
Certification Class: Experimental
Certification Issued: 2004-05-06
Air Worthiness Test: 2006-05-24
Last Action Taken: 2004-06-07
Current Status: Deregistered
Registration Cancel Date: 2006-06-12

Registration Type: Corporation
Owner: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC
Address: Fort Worth, TX 761010482
United States


NOTE: The airframe returned to being C-GFOS after the test period was completed. Its current status is unknown.

 

[RavenOne]

Anyhow Bell is Developing electrically distributed anti torque system and been testing it on Bell 429 airframe Since May 2019.

The with four electric motors and fans replaces the conventional tail rotor .

Bell developing fan-driven electric anti-torque system

Bell's electrically distributed anti-torque (EDAT) system is composed of four small fans within a tail rotor shroud, promising enhancements to safety and operating cost, plus a reduction in noise.

www.verticalmag.com

 

[RavenOne]

Bell unveils 429 lab for future autonomy FBW ops

Bell Reveals Bell 429 Aircraft Laboratory for Future Autonomy Fly-by-Wire Operations

Fort Worth, TX (May 7, 2024) - Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today revealed its Aircraft Laboratory for Future Autonomy (ALFA) based on the Bell 429 commercial aircraft. Developed by Bell's Advanced Programs team, ALFA is dedicated to performing flight maneuvers with an...

news.bellflight.com

Cheers