Another offering from Bell Helicopters, the Bell 407 is a civilian utility model, manufactured with four blades and a single engine. They’ve been in production since the mid 1990s and are still in active use across the country for a variety of civil purposes. Foreign militaries occasionally use this model (with some adaptations).
Most models seat between 5 and 6 passengers in bench-style seating, with some backwards seats in a possible configuration. Models operated by touring companies also come with “Vista View” windows, which provide the best visibility possible in this smaller helicopter.
The Bell 407 is faster than its smaller companion, the Bell 206, reaching cruising speeds of approximately 150 miles per hour. Noise levels are likely to be approximately the same, without any significant noise-minimizing technology in the aircraft itself. However, most touring companies offer headset-based audio narration with noise-cancelling headphones to compensate.
The Bell 427 is developed from the Bell 407 and has many of the same features. The major difference is a longer body and seating for 8 instead of 6.