KAI (Bell) SB 427
Korea Aerospace Industries / Bell Helicopter · South Korea / United States · first flew 1997 · helicopter
A light twin-turboshaft utility helicopter, the SB 427 was the Korean-assembled version of the Bell 427, aimed at corporate, EMS and police roles.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.43 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Sleek light-twin with four-blade bearingless main rotor
- Slim tailboom with low-set horizontal stabiliser
- Assembled in South Korea from Bell 427 design
Look for a compact, streamlined single-boom helicopter with a four-blade main rotor and paired engine intakes above the cabin. The clean nose profile and low horizontal stabiliser distinguish it from the earlier JetRanger family.
Specifications
- The KAI (Bell) SB 427 has a length of 11.43 m (37 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.28 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 259 km/h (161 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2 pilots, up to 6 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Korea Aerospace Industries (through predecessor Samsung Aerospace) partnered with Bell on the 427 programme in the late 1990s, contributing airframe work and setting up local assembly. The baseline Bell 427 first flew in December 1997, and the Korean-marketed SB 427 followed as a means of building an indigenous rotorcraft industry.
Variants
The type shared the Bell 427 lineage, itself developed from the popular 206L LongRanger with a stretched cabin and twin PW207D engines. Korean interest fed into later indigenous programmes, though the SB 427 itself saw only modest production before Bell moved on to the 429.
Where you'll see it
Few reached service and the type is largely absent from UK operators, where light twins such as the AgustaWestland AW109 and Airbus EC135 dominate the police and air-ambulance market. Its main legacy was helping seed South Korea's later KUH-1 Surion development.
Related aircraft
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