One of the most surprising announcements coming out of Heli-Expo this week was the introduction of a new turbine version of the Bell 47 — the 47GT-6 from Scott’s-Bell 47 — a company that also refers to itself as SB47. The new version of the 1940s bubble-canopy helicopter design will be based on Bell’s 47G-3B-2A and will be powered by Rolls-Royce’s RR300 engine, providing a maximum of 300 shp and 240 max continuous hp.
The engine will be mounted at approximately 45 degrees to prevent debris ingestion, said Don Maguire, SB47’s director of customer support and service. The RR300 provides good performance, reliability and a low operating cost with a fuel burn of less than 24 gph, according to SB47.
