Bell 429 vs. Sikorsky S-76: Which offers the best blend of luxury and mission?

Out of the 875 Sikorsky S-76 helicopters that have been produced till date, approximately 284 were of the S-76A type - the S-76A being the first model in the S-76 series. Besides the S-76 A, the other variants of the series include:S-76A Utility, an advanced version of the S-76A that has a strengthened floor and sliding doors. S-76A+, a variant, has two Turbomeca Arriel 1S turboshaft engines. S-76A++, a variant with two Turbomeca Arriel 1S1 turboshaft engines. S-76A Mk II, a variant of the S-76A+ that had more powerful engines than the S-76A. S-76B, a variant with equipped with two Pratt and Whitney PT6B-36A or PT6B-36B turboshaft engines. S-76C, the power capacity of the engines to 539kW led to the development of the S-76C. S-76C+, which was developed by upgrading the S-76B engine with full-authority digital engine controls (FADEC). S-76C++, a variant with more powerful engines, greater takeoff weight, and a new cabin. The S-76C++ was designed after overhauling the engines, avionics and new gearboxes of the S-76C. S-76D, a variant equipped with two Pratt andamp; Whitney Canada PW210S, a Thales Topdeck avionics suite and improved noise signature. Despite the fact that the Bell 429 came more than three decades after the Sikorsky S-76, Bell Textron has already delivered 500 Bell 429s till date. How does the Bell 429, which is equipped with two Pratt andamp; Whitney Canada PW207D1, compare with the S-76? Let's find out. The Bell 429 and the Sikorsky S-76 are equally fast The maximum speed of the Bell 429 and the Sikorsky S-76 is exactly the same at 155 kts. While the maximum cruise speed of the Sikorsky S-76D is 155 kts, the maximum cruise speed of the Bell 429 is marginally lower at 150 kts. The Bell 429 also has a superior rate of climb than any variant of the S-76 series. For example, the rate of climb of the Bell 429 is 2750 fpm, while that of the Sikorsy S-76 B is 1650 fpm. The Sikorsky S76B's climb rate with one engine in operation is superior, though (400 fpm vs 300 fpm). The Sikorsky S-76D has a greater range than the Bell 429, though. With no fuel reserve, the S-76D has a range of 472 nm, while the Bell 429 has a range of 411 nm (MGW, ISA, Std fuel - no reserve, at 4000 ft / 1219 m). Technologies that make the Bell 429 that make it suitable for offshore transport When Caverton Helicopters Limited signed a purchase agreement for a Bell 429 in 2023, it marked the entry of the first Bell 429 for offshore operations in West Africa. Caverton Aviation Group has even said that the introduction of Bell 429 to its fleet would enable it to provide "the best support for our oil and gas clients across the continent" as the chopper was "synonymous with safety and excellent performance". The Bell 429 holds the distinction of being the first helicopter certified through the Maintenance Steering Group-3 (MSG-3). The Bell 429 has a spacious cabin,extra-large 60-inch side doors and also has an impressive payload of 2353 lb. The Bell 429 provides Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) capability certified for single or dual pilot operations. Some of its other features include:A fully integrated glass cockpit Advanced drive system Best-in-class SBAS navigation All Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS) navigation and surveillance system using Garmin GTN-750/650 NAV/COM/WAAS GPS system The BasiX-Pro™ 2nd generation avionics system, which incorporates Multi-Function "smart" displays units from Astronautics Corporation of America (ACA). 2nd generation design has a 1-button instant couple feature that quickly restores coupled flight in the event of disorientation: Why is Sikorsky not taking new orders for the S-76D? Sikorsky claims that the S-76 was "designed for the offshore oil mission". The S-76D is equipped with the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), which integrates into operators' Helicopter Flight Data Monitoring systems. Some of the other features of the S-76D include: Digital map with optional integrated Jeppesen approach plates Engines that incorporate dual-channel Full Authority Digital Electronic Controls (FADEC) all-composite blades that meet the latest FAR/ EASA 29 Integrated tip caps to reduce maintenance requirements Innovative trackballs for cursor control on the display units Customer-defined custom checklist uploads and built-in emergency procedures promote ease of use According to Sikorsky, S-76D's oil configuration and options include the following: "The redesigned instrument panel features the integrated Thales TopDeck® avionics system with four large-format flat panel displays. The open architecture panels can display attitude indicator, navigation, digital map, flight plan management, systems data monitoring, warning advisory system and other performance management elements. The large, rectangular cabin and 38-cubic-foot baggage compartment can be custom configured for many mission applications." However, Sikorsky announced in 2022 that it would not take orders for the S-76D. The decision came after the fact that high production costs made it "hard to build and deliver profitably". In 2021, Sikorsky delivered 110 aircraft. Only one of these was of the S-76 type. This led to observers pointing out that three aircraft: Sikorsky S-92 (a mainstay of search and rescue operations), the S-70i Firehawk and the S-70M, would be the backbone of Sikorsky's commercial operations. While the Bell 429 had an operational cost of a little over $1,000, the operational cost of the Sikorsky S-76 can be four times as high (variations depending on the model). All in all The payload of the Sikorsky S-76C++ is 3571 lb, which is almost 1200 lb less than the Bell 429. However, in comparison to the S-76B, the Bell 429 only has a payload of 500 lbs. Despite the gains that S-76 has in comparison to the Bell 429, the operational costs might be on the heavier side. However, one has to note that the S-76s tend to have a much more spacious cabin than the Bell 429 and offer greater comfort for passengers.