Bell429 Part 1 Walkaround

Flight Americas Editor John Croft gets a preview of the new Bell 429 medium-twin helicopter from Bell Canada experimental test pilot Leo Meslin on 20 May 2009 at Bell Canada's Mirabel plant - Part 1 of 3

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Bell Helicopter
• Bell 429
• test pilot
• flight test
• helicopter
• rotorcraft

[a217andy]

can any tell me what is that red and white tube at the back of the tail is.

thank you 4:53

[AsTheCroftFlies]

@a217andy That's the tail skid.

[darrenphughes]

Im sure Bell's own test pilot has forgotten more than you will ever know!!

[nocalsteve]

@stevenabb A few things here: 1) It was not intended to be an instructional video on preflighting a 429, it's just a basic promotional walkaround.  2) the camera man needed to shut-up and let the person on camera do the talking. 3) If it was a TV news program filming this, less than 5 seconds would have ever made it on air, so the pilot did far more than he needed to.

[stevenabb]

This guy really shakes my confidence... it seems like the camera man is reminding him of stuff ( 3fuel sump drains? not checking ports? Grabbing rotor parts to pull himself up on top?. Then he says "if the ladder was there, I would check the ports to make sure of something is ok...5::00 - 5:25 video WTF? check for "UM SOMETHING???. Any pilot should take a written flight check list around an aircraft to ensure no pre-flight steps are missed. Bell should not have released this video.

[anairam251]

i preffer bell 429 than agusta 109 grand

[forcebs1spectre]

how much it costs the hour / flight and how much does it costs the flight ?

[aheartattack1]

I was taught to never use the pitchlinks to help your self up to inspect the main rotor because if they are bent even slightly it will a have drastic effects on the aircrafts flight characteristics. And you would think bells own test pilot would know this.