Bell 427

The Bell 427 is a twin-engine, multirole light utility helicopter that Bell Helicopter designed and built with Samsung Aerospace Industries, now Korea Aerospace Industries. After earlier twin-engine attempts based on its Bell 206 series, including the Bell 400 and 440 and the limited-production 206LT TwinRanger, Bell began a new light twin in partnership with Samsung. The 427 first flew on 11 December 1997, and Canadian certification followed on 19 November 1999. Bell built the flight dynamics systems at Fort Worth, Texas, with final assembly at Mirabel, Quebec, while Samsung built the fuselage and tailboom at its plant in South Korea. The program for a further version was cancelled and the larger Bell 429 replaced the 427 in production.