Bell D-292

D-292
Role	Experimental helicopter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Bell Helicopter
First flight	30 August 1985
Number built	1
Developed from	Bell 222

The Bell D-292 was an American experimental helicopter developed by Bell Helicopters for the United States Army Advanced Composite Airframe Program (ACAP), as part of the studies involved in the Light Helicopter Experimental (LHX) program.

Design and development[]

The Bell D-292 was developed under the US Army's Advanced Composite Airframe Program (ACAP), which was a project to develop an all-composite helicopter fuselage, considerably lighter and less costly to build than predominantly metal airframes, in support of the LHX program.^[1]^[2] In February 1981, contracts were awarded to Sikorsky and Bell Helicopters, with Sikorsky submitting the S-75.^[3] Both companies were to build three airframes, one tool-proof version, one static-test version and a flight-test vehicle.^[3]

The Bell D-292 used the Avco Lycoming engines, transmission, two-bladed main and tail rotors, tailboom, vertical fin, and rotor pylon from the Bell 222. The new airframe replaced metal with composites for greater strength, reduced weight and both lower manufacturing and maintenance costs.

The D-292 serial number 85-24371 flew for the first time on 30 August 1985^[4] following delays due to funding and industrial problems.^[3]

Specifications[]

General characteristics

Crew: four
Length: 40 ft 5 in (12.32 m)
Height: 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m)
Empty weight: 5,765 lb (2,615 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 7,485 lb (3,395 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Avco Lycoming LTS 101-750C-1 turboshaft, 684 hp (510 kW) each
Main rotor diameter: 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)

References[]

Notes[]

^ Harding 1997
^ Historic US Army Helicopters Archived 2007-02-24 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b ^c "Bell admits ACAP delays". Flight International. 1985-01-12.
^ "Bell ACAP takes off". Flight International: 9. 1985-09-21.

Bibliography[]

Harding, Stephen (1997). U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Atglen, PA, USA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-933424-53-1.

[Harding-1] Harding 1997

[TriArmy-2] Historic US Army Helicopters Archived 2007-02-24 at the Wayback Machine

[Flight85-3] "Bell admits ACAP delays". Flight International. 1985-01-12.

[Flight661-4] "Bell ACAP takes off". Flight International: 9. 1985-09-21.

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Fighter aircraft	YFM-1 P-39 XFL P-59 P-63 P-76 XP-77 XP-83
Target drones	PQM-56
Attack helicopters	207 Bell AH-1 Singles Twins AH-1Z 309 YAH-63 360
Observation and utility helicopters	H-13 H-13J UH-1 UH-1N UH-1Y TH-57 OH-58 TH-67 ARH-70
Commercial helicopters	47 47J 204 205 206 210 212 214 214ST 222 230 407 412 427 429 430 505 525
Tiltrotors	V-22 V-247 V-280 AW609 TR918 QTR
UAVs	MQ-8C
Non-production helicopters	400 417 440
Experimental aircraft	ATV 201 533 D-188 D-255 D-292 FCX-001 L-39 LLRV/LLTV X-1 X-2 X-5 X-14 X-16 X-22 XF-109 XP-52 XV-3 XV-15
Names	Airabonita Airacobra Airacomet Airacuda Arapaho BigLifter Cobra Creek Eagle Eye Fire Scout GlobalRanger Huey HueyCobra Invictus Iroquois JetRanger Jet Ranger X Kingcobra KingCobra Kiowa LongRanger Osprey Quad TiltRotor Ranger Sea Cobra Sea Ranger Sioux Sioux Scout SuperCobra Super Huey Super Transporter Twin Huey TwinRanger Valor Venom Vigilant Viper Zulu Cobra
¹ Unknown/not assigned