Landing gear dispute reignites ahead of Bell 429's approval

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By Niall O’Keeffe

A lawsuit alleging that Bell Helicopters' newest model infringes a Eurocopter patent took a step forward on the eve of type certification by Transport Canada, despite claims that the design of the landing gear in question has been changed since the suit was filed.

Bell's flight demonstrations at the Paris air show were disrupted when a French bailiff visited its pavilion to inspect the display model of the medium-light, twin-engined Bell 429 helicopter. According to Bell, the bailiff was acting for Eurocopter, which in May 2009 alleged patent infringement in a lawsuit filed with the Federal Court of Canada.

The lawsuit pertains to a "sled"-type landing gear that originally was part of the 429 model's design, but which has been replaced by a "toe"-shaped gear similar to that deployed on the 407 model, says Bell.

© Bell Helicopters

The Textron-owned helicopter manufacturer insists that the gear was replaced only because there were concerns that the legal process might delay deliveries of the 429 to customers. "We maintain that the original skid gear was not an infringement," says Bell. Eurocopter declines to comment on the lawsuit.

Manufactured at Bell Canada's site in Mirabel, the Bell 429 is powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PWC207D engines and incorporates an all-graphite tail boom, an X-shaped composite tail rotor, a "mostly" composite airframe, a two-piece composite drive shaft, a composite horizontal stabiliser, and a glass cockpit.

It has a high-speed cruise of 150kt (277km/h) with skids or 153kt with the retractable landing gear due to be available from 2011. Bell considers the 429 to offer cabin size and performance comparable to those of the Eurocopter EC145.