From day one the Enstrom F28, and now 280FX, was designed with a wide cabin allowing a three places seating.

Starting in 1993, the 480B model would include also that wide cabin which had proved itself in the Enstrom 280FX.
In fact the Enstrom 480B is the sole light turbine helicopter which allows a three members crew to seat in a row.
This unique seating is fundamental in two sorts of operations :

• In the professional military / para-military training where the instructor is taking off with two students.
• In all kinds of survey missions where a three members crew including pilot, navigator and observer is needed.

The 280FX and 480B tail rotor is two-bladed, and located on a stinger so that it is totally free and clear of the airframe. This provides excellent tail rotor authority, and eliminates LTE (Loss of Tailrotor Effectiveness) issues common on many others helicopters.
The 280FX and 480B don’t require a wind azimuth chart since they don’t have any wind limitations like many others helicopters. This type of performance allows the 280FX and 480B to get into the air in conditions that would ground other ships, and yet provide a significant margin for student pilots.

The tail rotor is controlled via cables attached to adjustable pedals. This allows for cruise flight without the need to carry any pedal input.

The 280FX and the 480B have a heavy, fully articulated, three-bladed rotor system which has over 4,000,000 flying hours with excellent Safety record and no catastrophic failure. The 280FX and the 480B rotor system is very high inertia, providing much better performance during an autorotation than the lighter weight 2 bladed helicopters. The 3-bladed rotor also has a lower disc loading, meaning it can recover more easily from a loss of energy. A 3-bladed rotor performs better in low-G maneuvers, or in high load situations such as high density altitude, wind gusts, or high airspeed. It is not subject to mast bumping like lighter two blades helicopters.
It also allows for slope landings of up to 15 deg. This gives instructors more options when choosing training sites.

The control system on the 280FX and 480B is entirely mechanical. There are no hydraulics needed, and a powerful electro-spring trim system is used. The controls are extremely smooth due to the use of ball bearings and heavy duty control rods.