Vector Aerospace to enhance Bell 407 performance and fuel efficiency

Vector Aerospace is reporting strong demand for the Rolls-Royce M250-C47B Value Improvement Package (VIP) upgrade, which is available to operators of Bell Helicopter’s best-selling platform, the Bell 407. Vector, an award-winning M250 Authorized Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Center (AMROC), has teamed up with Rolls-Royce to perform 16 conversions since the VIP upgrade program was introduced in 2012. By introducing modifications to the M250-C47B’s impeller, diffuser and first-stage turbine nozzle, the VIP upgrade enables operators to benefit from improved hot/high performance and lower direct operating costs, thanks to decreased fuel burn and reduced part attrition. During testing performed by Rolls-Royce, the VIP upgrade demonstrated a 5% improvement in hot/high engine performance and a 2% reduction in fuel burn, with no increase in engine weight. The VIP kit also enables operators to upgrade their M250-C47B engines to the same production-standard M250-C47B/8 configuration which is installed in the current Bell 407GXP platform.