Bell Helicopter flew its Model 427 light twin-turbine helicopter for the first time on 11 December. The 4min flight took place at the firm's Mirabel, Canada, commercial-helicopter manufacturing plant. The company has orders for more than 70 aircraft, with US certification planned for December 1998 and deliveries due to begin in January 1999. The eight-seat 427 is being developed jointly with Samsung Aerospace of South Korea. It is a growth version of the Bell 407 light single-turbine helicopters.
Source: Flight International
