Bell 206 Totally Explained

Everything about Bell 206 totally explained

The Bell Helicopter Model 206 JetRanger is a two-bladed main rotor, turbine powered helicopter with a conventional, two-bladed tail rotor. The aircraft uses hydraulic boosted flight controls.

Development

In October 1961, the Army submitted a request for proposals (RFP) for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). Bell, along with 12 other manufacturers (including Fairchild-Hiller and Hughes Tool Co. Aircraft Division), entered the competition. Bell submitted their design for Model 206, which was selected out of the design phase of the Navy-run competition by the Army and designated as the YHO-4A. Bell produced five prototype aircraft in 1962 to submit to the army for the test and evaluation phase. During the testing phase, the test pilots complained about the power problems of the aircraft, an issue that apparently knocked it out of the running, because when the winners were announced to progress on to the final selection phase, Bell's YOH-4A wasn't selected.
The 206A, and B are five-seat designs, with two seats in the front and a three seat bench in the back.

206L LongRanger

The 206L LongRanger is a stretched variant with seating for seven (the LongRanger, stretched a total of 30 inches, adds two rear-facing seats in between the front and rear seats). Since their first delivery in 1975, Bell has produced more than 1,700 Ls across all variant types. In 1981 a military version was released, the 206L "TexasRanger". The original 206L utilized a Allison 250-C20B engine, and a series of model upgrades replaced this engine with more powerful versions; the 206L-1 used a 250-C28 and the 206L-3 and 206L-4 used the 250-C30P with 490 shaft horsepower.
In 2007, Bell announced an upgrade program for the 206L-1 and 206L-3 which is designed to modify the aircraft to the 206L-4 configuration; modified aircraft are designated 206L-1+ and 206L-3+. Modifications include strengthened airframe structural components (including a new tailboom), improved transmission, upgraded engine for the L-1, all of which result in a max gross weight increase of 300 pounds and increased performance.

Gemini ST and TwinRanger

The TwinRanger name dates back to the mid-1980s when Bell first developed the Bell 400 TwinRanger, but it never entered production.
In 1989, Tridair Helicopters began developing a twin engine conversion of the LongRanger, the Gemini ST. The prototype's first flight was on January 16, 1991, while full FAA certification was awarded in November. Certification covers the conversion of LongRanger 206L-1s, L-3s and L-4s to Gemini ST configuration.

Variants

Civilian

Bell 206 - Five (5) YOH-4A prototypes, for flight evaluation in the Army's LOH program (1963).
Bell 206A - Initial production version, powered by an Allison 250-C18 turboshaft engine. FAA-certified in 1966. Selected as the OH-58A Kiowa in 1968.
- Agusta-Bell 206A - License-built in Italy
Bell 206A-1 - OH-58A aircraft that are reverse-modified for FAA civil certification.
Agusta-Bell 206A-1 - License-built in Italy
Bell 206B - Upgraded Allison 250-C20 engine.
- Agusta-Bell 206B - License-built in Italy
Bell 206B-2 - Bell 206B models upgraded with Bell 206B-3 improvements.
Bell 206B-3 - Upgraded Allison 250-C20J engine and added 2 inches to tail rotor diameter for yaw control.
Bell 206L LongRanger - Stretched, seven seat configuration, powered by an Allison 250-C20B turboshaft engine.
- Agusta-Bell 206L LongRanger - License-built in Italy
Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II - Higher-powered version, powered by an Allison 250-C28 turboshaft engine.
- Agusta-Bell 206B-1 - License-built in Italy.
Bell 206L-1+ LongRanger - Bell modifications, including 250-C30P engine, to upgrade aircraft to 206L-4 configuration.
Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III - Powered by an Allison 250-C30P turboshaft engine.
- Agusta-Bell 206B-3 - License-built in Italy.
Bell 206L-3+ LongRanger - Bell modifications to upgrade aircraft to 206L-4 configuration.
Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV - Improved version, 250-C30P engine and transmission upgrade.
Bell 206LT TwinRanger - Twin-engined conversions and new-builds of the 206L; replaced by the Bell 427.
Bell 407 - based on the 206L with four-bladed rotor system
Bell 417 - upgraded 407 with bigger engine; project cancelled.

Military

Bell 206AS ť Export version for the Chilean Navy.

;OH-58 Kiowa :Light observation helicopter that replaced the OH-6A Cayuse.

TH-57A :40 commercial Bell 206A aircraft purchased as the primary U.S. Navy helicopter trainer in January 1968, designated "Sea Ranger".(External Link) ;206L TexasRanger :proposed export military version, only a demonstrator was built in 1981.

TH-57B :45 commercial Bell 206B-3 helicopters purchased in 1989 as replacements for the TH-57A for primary training under visual flight rules. ;TH-57C :71 commercial Bell 206B-3 helicopters purchased beginning prior to 1985 with cockpits configured for advanced training under instrument flight rules.

TH-57D :Planned upgrade program to convert TH-57B and TH-57C to a single standard digital cockpit.(External Link) ;TH-67 Creek :137 commercial Bell 206B-3 purchased in 1993 as the primary helicopter trainer for the U.S. Army. 35 in VFR configuration and 102 in IFR configuration.(External Link)

Operators

Further Information

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