Brantly vs. Bell 47
Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:08 pm
Other than the unique rotor system, what benefits would a Brantly have over an early Bell 47?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Well, I've flown both and there are pros and cons to each aircraft. The B47 has much more power available for vertical (max performance) takeoffs and the cabin in bigger (two pilots or one pilot + two passengers)... even though there are only two seats in the B2B, there is a luggage storage area.
Concerning flight characteristics, the B2B has the smoother ride. In fact, I've flown the R22 Mariner, R22 Beta, R22 Beta II, F28C, 280FX, B47G2, and the R44 Raven I. HANDS DOWN... NO QUESTIONS ASKED... THE BRANTLY HAS THE BEST AUTOROTATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS... PERIOD. It's also a pretty smooth ride and is sleek in forward flight.
My biggest concern with the B2B is the lack of tail rotor authority and the power required in the hover (B47 also has lack of tail rotor authority unless you get the 206 TR conversion for it). In forward flight, it's a great ship to fly. I don't know much about the maintenance of either the B2B or B47, but there are some posts about operating costs on this forum. If you're trying to decide which aircraft to purchase, there are lots of factors...
The type of flying that you do is probably paramount... base altitude, environment, weather, duration of flight, noise abatement issues, etc. Also, consider the genre of the aircraft you might buy. You can purchase a used Brantly for $40-50K! However, those are usually '60's era ships that require substantial upgrades to make it properly airworthy (take an A&P who has B2B experience with you to look it over). Sometimes, you can find well-maintained used B2B for $50-$60 that won't require too much in the way of labor and parts.
B47's are usually pretty expensive. Also, the ones with metal main rotor's are much more costly in terms of upkeep than the wooden blades. The wooden blades get recoated and laminated every couple of years, and they aren't too hard to track and balance. The metal blades have fatigue life and are pretty costly to deal with. If you want more information, post your specific questions here.