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The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- and twin-engined
On October 14, 1960, the
"Bell 206 JetRanger".
1000AircraftPhotos.com. 16 October 2003. Accessed on 19 September 2006 The YOH-4A also came to be known as "The Ugly Duckling" in comparison to the other contending aircraft. Following a fly-off of the Bell, Hughes and Fairchild-Hiller prototypes, the
"The Introduction to the JetRanger"
. ''Rotor Magazine''. Helicopter Association International. Winter 2006-2007. Accessed on 29 April 2008 A Bell executive contributed to this redesign by drawing on a sketch two lines extending the fuselage to where it meets the tail.George Larso
"Farewell to an Icon: the Bell JetRanger 206". Aviation Week blog, January 25, 2008 The redesign was designated Bell 206A, and Bell President Edwin J. Ducayet named it the JetRanger, denoting an evolution from the popular Bell 47J Ranger, Model 47J Ranger. Bell Helicopter ended production of the Bell 206B-3 version in 2010. In 2011, used 206B-3s sold for around $1.4 million depending upon the equipment and configuration. Bell intends for the
Bell gives 505 JetRanger update
. ''Vertical'', 21 July 2014. Accessed: 21 July 2014
Archived on 21 July 2014
The 206L LongRanger is a stretched variant with seating for seven. The fuselage, stretched a total of , adds two rear-facing seats between the front and rear seats. Since 1975, Bell has produced more than 1,700 LongRangers across all variant types. In 1981, a military version, the 206L TexasRanger was released. The original 206L used an 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.
In both applications, the 250-C30P is derated from 650 hp for takeoff and 501 hp continuous. The 206L-3 is transmission-limited to 435 hp for take-off, and the 206L-4 is transmission-limited to 495 hp. The derating of the C30P produces an advantage in hot-day and high-altitude operations as it can produce the rated horsepower at higher altitudes and temperatures where applications that use the maximum rating of the engine at sea level suffer accelerated performance deterioration with increases in temperature and altitude. The 206L-3 and L-4 have not been offered in a twin configuration under those model designations.
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 maximum gross weight increase of 300 pounds and increased performance.Kocurek, Mark
"206L Upgrade Program"
''Rotorbreeze Magazine'' Bell Helicopter, July 2007 Production of the 206L-4 ended in June 2017.Last Bell LongRanger Rolls Off Production Line
AIN online, July 10, 2017.
The first Bell 206A flew on January 10, 1966, and the aircraft was revealed later that month at the Helicopter Association of America (HAA) convention. On October 20, 1966, the JetRanger received FAA certification. Delivery of the JetRanger to customers began on January 13, 1967, with the first aircraft being purchased by Harry Holly, CEO of the Hollymatic Corporation and previous owner of a Bell Ranger. In 1968, the
;Bell 206: Five 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 modified for FAA civil certification.
;Agusta-Bell 206A-1: License-built in Italy.
;: 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 to tail rotor diameter for yaw control.
;: Stretched, seven-seat configuration, powered by an Allison 250-C20B turboshaft engine.
;: Higher-powered version, powered by an Allison 250-C28 turboshaft engine.
;Bell 206L-1+ LongRanger: Bell modifications, including 250-C30P engine, to upgrade aircraft to 206L-4 configuration.
;: Powered by an Allison 250-C30P turboshaft engine.
;Bell 206L-3+ LongRanger: Bell modifications to upgrade aircraft to 206L-4 configuration.
;: Improved version, 250-C30P engine and transmission upgrade.
;Bell 206LT TwinRanger: Twin-engined conversions and new-builds of the 206L; replaced by the 
;
;206L TexasRanger: proposed export military version. One demonstrator was built (1981).
;TH-57B: 45 commercial Bell 206B-3 helicopters purchased by the US Navy in 1989 as replacements for the TH-57A for primary training under visual flight rules.
;TH-57C Sea Ranger: 71 commercial Bell 206B-3 helicopters purchased by the US Navy beginning prior to 1985 with cockpits configured for advanced training under instrument flight rules.
;TH-57D: Planned upgrade program to convert US Navy TH-57B and TH-57C aircraft to a single standard digital cockpit. This program never materialized in operational aircraft.
;TH-67 Creek: 137 commercial Bell 206B-3s purchased in 1993 as the primary and instrument helicopter trainer for the
The Bell 206 has been popular for all types of uses both commercial and private.
;
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;
*
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...
s, manufactured by Bell Helicopter
Bell Textron Inc. is an American aerospace manufacturer headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. A subsidiary of Textron, Bell manufactures military rotorcraft at facilities in Fort Worth, and Amarillo, Texas, as well as commercial helicopters in M ...
at its Mirabel, Quebec
Mirabel is a suburb of Montreal, located on the North Shore in southern Quebec.
Mirabel is also the name of a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and census division (CD) of Quebec, coextensive with the city of Mirabel. It ...
, plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4
The Bell YOH-4 (originally YHO-4) was a single-engine, single-rotor light helicopter, developed for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program. While the YOH-4A was unsuccessful in the original LOH competition, Bell redesigned ...
for the United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
's Light Observation Helicopter
The Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program was a United States Army program to evaluate, develop and field a light scout helicopter to replace the Army's aging Bell OH-13 Sioux. It gained impetus with the advent of the Vietnam War, and was ai ...
program, it was not selected by the Army. Bell redesigned the airframe
The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system.
Airframe design is a field of aerospa ...
and successfully marketed the aircraft commercially as the five-place Bell 206A JetRanger. The new design was eventually selected by the Army as the OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine single-rotor military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. It was produced by the American manufacturer Bell Helicopter and is closely related to the Model 206A ...
.
Bell also developed a seven-place LongRanger, which was later offered with a twin-engined option as the TwinRanger, while Tridair Helicopters offers a similar conversion of the LongRanger called the Gemini ST. The ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...
-assigned model designation "B06" is used on flight plan
Flight plans are documents filed by a pilot or flight dispatcher with the local Air Navigation Service Provider (e.g. the FAA in the United States) prior to departure which indicate the plane's planned route or flight path. Flight plan format is ...
s for the JetRanger and LongRanger, and the designation "B06T" is used for the twin-engined TwinRangers.
Development
Origins and JetRanger
On October 14, 1960, the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
solicited responses from 25 aircraft manufacturers to a request for proposals (RFP) on behalf of the Army for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). Bell entered the competition along with 12 other manufacturers, including Hiller Aircraft
Hiller Aircraft Company was founded in 1942 as Hiller Industries by Stanley Hiller to develop helicopters.
History
Stanley Hiller, then seventeen, established the first helicopter factory on the West Coast of the United States, located in Berkele ...
and Hughes Tool Co., Aircraft Division. Bell submitted the ''D-250'' design, which would be designated as the '' YHO-4''.Beechy, Robert. "U.S Army Aircraft Acquisition Programs". ''Uncommon Aircraft 2006'', November 18, 2005. Accessed on September 19, 2006 On May 19, 1961, Bell and Hiller were announced as winners of the design competition.
Bell developed the D-250 design into the Bell 206 aircraft, redesignated as YOH-4A in 1962, and produced five prototype aircraft for the Army's test and evaluation phase. The first prototype flew on December 8, 1962.Visschedijk, lJohan"Bell 206 JetRanger".
1000AircraftPhotos.com. 16 October 2003. Accessed on 19 September 2006 The YOH-4A also came to be known as "The Ugly Duckling" in comparison to the other contending aircraft. Following a fly-off of the Bell, Hughes and Fairchild-Hiller prototypes, the
Hughes OH-6
The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter that was designed and produced by the American aerospace company Hughes Helicopters. Its formal name is derived from the Cayuse people while its "Loach" nickname comes from the acronym f ...
was selected in May 1965.
When the YOH-4A was eliminated by the Army, Bell went about solving the problem of marketing the aircraft. In addition to the image problem, the helicopter lacked cargo space and only provided cramped seating for the planned three passengers. The solution was a redesigned fuselage, sleeker and aesthetically appealing, adding 16 ft3 (0.45 m3) of cargo space in the process.Aastad, Andy"The Introduction to the JetRanger"
. ''Rotor Magazine''. Helicopter Association International. Winter 2006-2007. Accessed on 29 April 2008 A Bell executive contributed to this redesign by drawing on a sketch two lines extending the fuselage to where it meets the tail.George Larso
"Farewell to an Icon: the Bell JetRanger 206". Aviation Week blog, January 25, 2008 The redesign was designated Bell 206A, and Bell President Edwin J. Ducayet named it the JetRanger, denoting an evolution from the popular Bell 47J Ranger, Model 47J Ranger. Bell Helicopter ended production of the Bell 206B-3 version in 2010. In 2011, used 206B-3s sold for around $1.4 million depending upon the equipment and configuration. Bell intends for the
Bell 505 Jet Ranger X
The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X (JRX) is an American/Canadian light helicopter developed and manufactured by Bell Helicopter. The Bell 505 was unveiled at the 2013 Paris Airshow in June 2013 as the Bell SLS (Short Light Single). The Bell 505 designa ...
to replace the 206 five-seat versions from around 2015 and compete with the Robinson R66
The Robinson R66 is a helicopter designed and built by Robinson Helicopter Company. It has five seats, a separate cargo compartment and is powered by a Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft engine. The R66 is slightly faster and smoother than the Robi ...
.Maher, Guy.Bell gives 505 JetRanger update
. ''Vertical'', 21 July 2014. Accessed: 21 July 2014
Archived on 21 July 2014
LongRanger
The 206L LongRanger is a stretched variant with seating for seven. The fuselage, stretched a total of , adds two rear-facing seats between the front and rear seats. Since 1975, Bell has produced more than 1,700 LongRangers across all variant types. In 1981, a military version, the 206L TexasRanger was released. The original 206L used an 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.
In both applications, the 250-C30P is derated from 650 hp for takeoff and 501 hp continuous. The 206L-3 is transmission-limited to 435 hp for take-off, and the 206L-4 is transmission-limited to 495 hp. The derating of the C30P produces an advantage in hot-day and high-altitude operations as it can produce the rated horsepower at higher altitudes and temperatures where applications that use the maximum rating of the engine at sea level suffer accelerated performance deterioration with increases in temperature and altitude. The 206L-3 and L-4 have not been offered in a twin configuration under those model designations.
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 maximum gross weight increase of 300 pounds and increased performance.Kocurek, Mark"206L Upgrade Program"
''Rotorbreeze Magazine'' Bell Helicopter, July 2007 Production of the 206L-4 ended in June 2017.Last Bell LongRanger Rolls Off Production Line
AIN online, July 10, 2017.
Gemini ST and TwinRanger
The ''TwinRanger'' name dates from the mid-1980s when Bell developed the ''Bell 400 TwinRanger
The Bell 400 TwinRanger was a prototype four-bladed, twin-engine civil helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter in the 1980s. Both the TwinRanger and another planned version, the Bell 440, were attempts to market a twin-engine development of the ...
'', but it never entered production.Frawley, Gerard: ''The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003-2004'', p. 43. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2003.
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. In mid-1994 the Gemini ST was certificated as the first Single/Twin aircraft, allowing it to operate either as a single or twin engine aircraft throughout all phases of flight.
The ''Bell 206LT TwinRanger'' was a new-build production model equivalent to Tridair's Gemini ST, and was based on the 206L-4. Thirteen 206LTs were built, the first being delivered in January 1994, and the last in 1997. The TwinRanger was replaced in Bell's lineup by the mostly-new ''Bell 427
The Bell 427 is a twin-engine, multirole, light utility helicopter designed and manufactured by Bell Helicopter and Samsung Aerospace Industries. It has been replaced in production by the larger Bell 429.
Development
Bell has tried several in ...
''.
Operational history
The first Bell 206A flew on January 10, 1966, and the aircraft was revealed later that month at the Helicopter Association of America (HAA) convention. On October 20, 1966, the JetRanger received FAA certification. Delivery of the JetRanger to customers began on January 13, 1967, with the first aircraft being purchased by Harry Holly, CEO of the Hollymatic Corporation and previous owner of a Bell Ranger. In 1968, the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
selected the 206A as its primary trainer, the TH-57 Sea Ranger. The Army also eventually selected the 206A for a light observation helicopter as the OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine single-rotor military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. It was produced by the American manufacturer Bell Helicopter and is closely related to the Model 206A ...
.
The basic shape and design of the JetRanger remained unchanged since 1967, but Bell introduced the 206B JetRanger II in 1971. In 1977, the 206B-3 JetRanger III was introduced with its modified tail rotor and more powerful engine. The JetRanger is popular with news media for traffic and news reporting. The LongRanger is commonly used as an air ambulance and as a corporate transport. On September 1, 1982, pilots H. Ross Perot, Jr. and Jay Coburn departed Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...
in the " Spirit of Texas", a Bell 206L-2 (N3911Z). They returned on 30 September, 29 days and 3 hours later, completing the first around-the-world helicopter flight.
In 1983, Australian businessman Dick Smith became the first helicopter pilot to complete a solo trip around the world in 260 flight hours. During the trip, he landed his 206B-3 (S/N 3653; VH-DIK) on prepositioned container ships to refuel between Japan and the Aleutian Islands.
In 1993, the U.S. Army chose the Bell 206B-3 as the winner of the New Training Helicopter competition, to serve as its primary training helicopter, the TH-67 Creek. The number of TH-67s being divested by the Army is too small to impact civilian markets.
On July 22, 1994, Ron Bower Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald.
Ron or RON may also refer to:
Arts and media
* Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character
* Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character
*Ron Douglas, the protagonist in '' Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...
landed his 206B-3 (N206AJ) at Hurst, Texas
Hurst is a city in the U.S. state of Texas located in the densely populated portion of northeastern Tarrant County and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. It is considered a Dallas and Fort Worth suburb and is part of the Mid-Cit ...
, setting a new record for around-the-world flight by a helicopter. Bower had departed on June 24 and returned 24 days, 4 hours, 36 minutes and 24 seconds later, averaging 35.62 knots (40.99 mph, 65.97 km/h). Bower had added a auxiliary fuel tank, which doubled the JetRanger III's range.
Notable accidents and incidents
On August 1, 1977, famous U-2 spy plane pilotFrancis Gary Powers
Francis Gary Powers (August 17, 1929 – August 1, 1977) was an American pilot whose Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Lockheed U-2 spy plane was shot down while flying a reconnaissance mission in Soviet Union airspace, causing the 1960 U-2 i ...
was piloting a helicopter for KNBC Channel 4 over West Los Angeles, California when the aircraft crashed, killing him and cameraman George Spears. They had been video recording brush fires in Santa Barbara County in the station's helicopter and were leaving the area.
On August 27, 1990, musician Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stephen Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Although his mainstream career spanned only seven years, ...
, pilot Jeff Brown, and three members of Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
's crew, Bobby Brooks, Nigel Browne, and Colin Smythe, were killed in a fatal 206B crash.
On October 25, 1991, a Bell 206 carrying rock music concert promoter Tour promoters (also known as concert promoters or talent buyers) are the individuals or companies responsible for organizing a live concert tour or special event performance. The tour promoter makes an offer of engagement to a particular artist, ...
Bill Graham, his girlfriend Melissa Gold, and pilot Steve Kahn crashed into a transmission tower
A transmission tower, also known as an electricity pylon or simply a pylon in British English and as a hydro tower in Canadian English, is a tall structure, usually a steel lattice tower, used to support an overhead power line.
In electrical gri ...
west of Vallejo, California
Vallejo ( ; ) is a city in Solano County, California and the second largest city in the North Bay region of the Bay Area. Located on the shores of San Pablo Bay, the city had a population of 126,090 at the 2020 census. Vallejo is home to the ...
, killing everyone on board. The cause of the accident was determined to be the pilot's intentional flight into known adverse weather conditions.
On March 9, 2009, Bangladesh Army's General Officer, Commander of Jessore
Jessore ( bn, যশোর, jôshor, ), officially Jashore, is a city of Jessore District situated in Khulna Division. It is situated in the south-western part of Bangladesh. It is the administrative centre (headquarter) of the eponymous district ...
Area and his pilot was killed when his Bell 206 crashed at Tangail
Tangail ( bn, টাঙ্গাইল, ), is a major city within the Dhaka Division in central Bangladesh. It sits on the bank of the Louhajang River, north-west of Dhaka, the nation's capital. It is considered to be the main urban area of ...
Area of Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
.
On August 20, 2014, Guatemala's Army Chief of Staff was killed when his Bell 206 crashed.
On February 11, 2019, Brazilian journalist Ricardo Boechat and the pilot were killed when Bell 206B, PT-HPG, crashed
"Crashed" is the third U.S. rock Single (music), single, (the fifth overall), from the band Daughtry (band), Daughtry's debut album. It was released only to U.S. rock stations on September 5, 2007. Upon its release the song got adds at those stat ...
into a truck while attempting an emergency landing on a highway.
Variants
Civilian
;Bell 206: Five 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 modified for FAA civil certification.
;Agusta-Bell 206A-1: License-built in Italy.
;: 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 to tail rotor diameter for yaw control.
;: Stretched, seven-seat configuration, powered by an Allison 250-C20B turboshaft engine.
;: Higher-powered version, powered by an Allison 250-C28 turboshaft engine.
;Bell 206L-1+ LongRanger: Bell modifications, including 250-C30P engine, to upgrade aircraft to 206L-4 configuration.
;: Powered by an Allison 250-C30P turboshaft engine.
;Bell 206L-3+ LongRanger: Bell modifications to upgrade aircraft to 206L-4 configuration.
;: 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
The Bell 427 is a twin-engine, multirole, light utility helicopter designed and manufactured by Bell Helicopter and Samsung Aerospace Industries. It has been replaced in production by the larger Bell 429.
Development
Bell has tried several in ...
.
;Bell 407
The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter. A derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger, the 407 uses the four-blade, soft-in-plane design rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa W ...
: based on the 206L with four-blade rotor system.
; Bell 417: upgraded 407 with larger engine; project canceled.
;: Chilean modified LongRanger III with narrow forward fuselage and flat-plate cockpit windows. At least two converted, with first flight in 1989.
;HESA Shahed 278
The HESA Shahed 278 ( fa, شاهد ۲۷۸) is an Iranian-made light utility helicopter.
Iran's ''Shahed Aviation Industries Research Center'' plans to produce several variants of ''Shahed'', according to sources. The first platform was the ''Sh ...
: An Iranian re-hash of Bell 206 components.
;Aurora Flight Sciences
Aurora Flight Sciences is an American aviation and aeronautics research subsidiary of Boeing which primarily specializes in the design and construction of special-purpose Unmanned aerial vehicles. Aurora has been established for 20+ years and th ...
Tactical Autonomous Aerial Logistics System test platform
Military
;Bell 206AS: Export version for theChilean Navy
The Chilean Navy ( es, Armada de Chile) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso.
History
Origins and the Wars ...
.
;: Canadian military designation for the Bell 206B-3.
;Hkp 6A: Swedish Army
The Swedish Army ( sv, svenska armén) is the land force of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
Svea Life Guards dates back to the year 1521, when the men of Dalarna chose 16 young able men as body guards for the insurgent nobleman Gustav Vas ...
designation for the Agusta-Bell 206A. 21 units manufactured in Italy, used as training, liaison, light transport, scout and anti-tank helicopters armed with ATGMs.
;Hkp 6B: Swedish Navy
The Swedish Navy ( sv, Svenska marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet () – as well as marine units, the Amphibious Corps ().
In Swedish, vessels o ...
designation for the Agusta-Bell 206A. 10 units manufactured in Italy, used as anti-submarine helicopters, armed with depth charges. This variant was equipped with emergency inflatable floats.
;OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine single-rotor military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. It was produced by the American manufacturer Bell Helicopter and is closely related to the Model 206A ...
: Light observation helicopter that replaced the OH-6A Cayuse
The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a single-engine light helicopter that was designed and produced by the American aerospace company Hughes Helicopters. Its formal name is derived from the Cayuse people while its "Loach" nickname comes from the acronym fo ...
.
;TH-57A Sea Ranger: 40 commercial Bell 206A aircraft purchased as the primary U.S. Navy helicopter trainer in January 1968 for training prospective U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mul ...
and select NATO/Allied helicopter pilots.
;206L TexasRanger: proposed export military version. One demonstrator was built (1981).
;TH-57B: 45 commercial Bell 206B-3 helicopters purchased by the US Navy in 1989 as replacements for the TH-57A for primary training under visual flight rules.
;TH-57C Sea Ranger: 71 commercial Bell 206B-3 helicopters purchased by the US Navy beginning prior to 1985 with cockpits configured for advanced training under instrument flight rules.
;TH-57D: Planned upgrade program to convert US Navy TH-57B and TH-57C aircraft to a single standard digital cockpit. This program never materialized in operational aircraft.
;TH-67 Creek: 137 commercial Bell 206B-3s purchased in 1993 as the primary and instrument helicopter trainer for the US Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
at Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located primarily in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training installation for U.S. Army Aviators and ...
, Alabama. 35 in VFR configuration and 102 in IFR configuration. The US Army currently has 181 units, of which 121 are in VFR configuration and 60 are in IFR configuration. All TH-67s display US registrations ("N" numbers) and are operated as public use aircraft.
Operators
The Bell 206 has been popular for all types of uses both commercial and private.
Military and government
;
*Albanian Air Force
The Albanian Air Force ( sq, Forca Ajrore e Republikës së Shqipërisë - Air Force of the Republic of Albania) is the air force of Albania and one of the branches of the Albanian Armed Forces.
History
Early history
In 1914 the governmen ...
;
*Argentine Army Aviation
The Argentine Army Aviation ( es, Comando de Aviación de Ejército, AvEj) is the army aviation branch of the Argentine Army. Their members have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Army.
Along with its primary role of supporting ...
;
*Bangladesh Air Force
The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ( bn, বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী, Bangladesh Biman Bahini) is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The Air Force is primarily responsible for air defence of B ...
* Bangladesh Army
The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and def ...
;
* Brazilian Air Force
"Wings that protect the country"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Hino dos Aviadores
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...
* Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious warf ...
;
*Bulgarian Air Force
The Bulgarian Air Force ( bg, Военновъздушни сили, Voennovazdushni sili) is one of the three branches of the Military of Bulgaria, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and p ...
;
* Royal Brunei Air Force
The Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) ( ms, Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei, abbreviation ''TUDB'') is the air force of the sultanate of Brunei. It is mainly based at the Rimba Air Force Base within the Brunei International Airport.
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Bell Model 206L-4 page on Bell's site
{{Thai helicopter designations 1960s United States helicopters 1960s United States civil utility aircraft 1960s Canadian helicopters 1960s Canadian civil utility aircraft 206 Single-turbine helicopters Aircraft first flown in 1962
Cameroon Air Force
The Cameroon Air Force (french: Armée de l'Air du Cameroun, AdAC) is the air force of Cameroon. The Cameroon Air Force, along with the Cameroon Army, the Cameroon Navy (including the Naval Infantry), the National Gendarmerie, and the President ...
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* Chilean Air Force
"With full speed to the stars"
, colours = Indigo White
, colours_label =
, march = Alte Kameraden
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 21 March ...
* Chilean Navy
The Chilean Navy ( es, Armada de Chile) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso.
History
Origins and the Wars ...
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* Colombian Air Force
, "We are the Force"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Colombian Air Force Hymn
, mascot = Capitan Paz
, anniversaries = 8 November
, ...
*National Police of Colombia
The National Police of Colombia (Spanish: ''Policía Nacional de Colombia'') is the national police force of the Republic of Colombia. Although the National Police is not part of the Military Forces of Colombia (Army, Navy, and Air Force), it c ...
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* Air Force of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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* Croatian Air Force
The Croatian Air Force ( hr, Hrvatsko ratno zrakoplovstvo or HRZ) is a branch of the Croatian Armed Forces whose primary task is to ensure the sovereignty of the airspace of the Republic of Croatia and to provide aviation support to other branc ...
*Croatian Police
Law enforcement in Croatia is the responsibility of the Croatian Police ( hr, Hrvatska policija), which is the national police force of the country subordinated by the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, carrying out certain task ...
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* Ecuadorian Air Force
The Ecuadorian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana, FAE) is the Air arm of the Military of Ecuador and responsible for the protection of the Ecuadorian airspace.
Mission
To develop the military air wing, in order to execute institutional o ...
* Ecuadorian Navy
The Ecuadorian Navy ( es, Armada del Ecuador) is an Ecuadorian entity responsible for the surveillance and protection of national maritime territory and has a personnel of 9,127 men to protect a coastline of 2,237 km which reaches far into t ...
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* Finnish Border Guard
The Finnish Border Guard (; ) is the agency responsible for enforcing the security of Finland's borders. It is a military organisation, subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior in administrative issues and to the President of Finland in issue ...
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*Greek Army
The Hellenic Army ( el, Ελληνικός Στρατός, Ellinikós Stratós, sometimes abbreviated as ΕΣ), formed in 1828, is the land force of Greece. The term ''Hellenic'' is the endogenous synonym for ''Greek''. The Hellenic Army is the ...
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*Guatemalan Air Force
The Guatemalan Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca or ''FAG'') is a small air force composed mostly of U.S.-made aircraft throughout its history. The FAG is a subordinate to the Guatemalan Military and its commanding officer reports to th ...
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* Guyana Defence Force
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military of Guyana, established in 1965. It has military bases across the nation. The Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force is always the incumbent President of Guyana.
History
The GDF was formed on 1 Nove ...
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* Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
, patron =
, motto = , "Skyhigh is my place"
, colours = Ultramarine blue
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot ...
* Islamic Republic of Iran Army
, founded =
, current_form = ( Islamic Republic)
, disbanded =
, branches =
, headquarters = Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters, Tehran
, website =
, commander-in-chief = Maj. Gen ...
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* Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
Hoyle ''Flight International'' 9–15 December 2014, p. 42
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* Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defense ...
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* Italian Army
"The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law"
, colors =
, colors_labels =
, march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
* Vigili del Fuoco
The Vigili del Fuoco is Italy's institutional agency for fire and rescue service. It is part of the Ministry of Interior's ''Dipartimento dei Vigili del Fuoco, del Soccorso Pubblico e della Difesa Civile'' (Department of Firefighters, Public Re ...
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* Jamaica Defence Force
The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the combined military of Jamaica, consisting of an infantry Regiment and Reserve Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleet and a supporting Engineering Unit. The JDF is based upon the British military model, with ...
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* Japan Coast Guard
The is the coast guard of Japan.
The Japan Coast Guard consists of about 13,700 personnel and is responsible for the protection of the coastline of Japan under the oversight of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Th ...
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* Latvian State Border Guard
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* Lesotho Defence Force
The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is the military of the Southern African Kingdom of Lesotho, which consists of about 2,000 personnel and is tasked with maintaining internal security, territorial integrity, and defending the constitution of Lesoth ...
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* North Macedonian Air Force
The North Macedonia Air Brigade ( mk, Воздухопловен ВИНГ) is the Air force, air warfare and air defense force of the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia.
History
The development of the Macedonian Air Brigade began in 1992.
...
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* Mexican Air Force
The Mexican Air Force (FAM; es, Fuerza Aérea Mexicana) is the primary aerial warfare service branch of the Mexican Armed Forces. It is a component of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat ( SEDENA). The objective of ...
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*Royal Moroccan Air Force
The Royal Moroccan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الملكية; ber, Adwas ujenna ageldan; french: Forces Royales Air) is the air force of the Moroccan Armed Forces.
History
The Moroccan air force was formed on 14 May 1956 as the ...
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*Royal Air Force of Oman
The Royal Air Force of Oman ( ar, سلاح الجو السلطاني عمان, Silāḥ al-Jaww as-Sulṭāniy ‘Umān or RAFO) is the air arm of the Armed Forces of Oman.
History Sultan of Oman's Air Force era
The Sultan of Oman's Air Force ...
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* Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
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* Peruvian Navy
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*Polish Police
Policja () is the generic name for the national police force of the Republic of Poland. The Polish police force was known as ''policja'' throughout the Second Polish Republic (1918–1939), and in the modern Republic of Poland since 1990. Its c ...
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* Serbian Ministry of the Interior
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia ( sr, Mинистарство унутрашњих послова, Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova; abbr. MUP) or the Ministry of Interior, is a cabinet-level ministry in the Government ...
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* Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence
Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence is a part of the Slovenian Armed Forces. It is an integral part of the command structure, not an independent branch.
Duties
Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence aim is securing the sovereignty of the airspac ...
* Slovenian national police force
The Slovenian National Police Force is the national government agency that handles the responsibility of law enforcement of the Republic of Slovenia. It is composed of the eight police directorates in Celje, Koper, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, ...
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* Sri Lanka Air Force
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* Republic of China Army
The Republic of China Army (ROCA), previously known as the Chinese Nationalist Army or Nationalist Revolutionary Army and unofficially as the Taiwanese Army, is the largest branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces. An estimated 80% of the ...
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* Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army or RTA ( th, กองทัพบกไทย; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
History
Origin
The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's so ...
* Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) ( th, สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ; ) is the national police force of Thailand. The RTP employs between 210,700 and 230,000 officers, roughly 17 percent of all civil servants (excludi ...
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* Turkish Army
The Turkish Land Forces ( tr, Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), or Turkish Army (Turkish: ), is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the ...
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*Ugandan Air Force
Ugandan People's Defence Force Air Force, more commonly known as Ugandan Air Force, is the branch of the Uganda People's Defence Force that deals with the air warfare. It headquarters is located at Entebbe, Uganda. The current air force commander ...
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*Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind t ...
* San Juan County Sheriff Dept.
*Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-large ...
*Memphis Police Department
The Memphis Police Department is the law enforcement agency of the city of Memphis, Tennessee, United States.
Organization
The Memphis Police Department (MPD) provides police services to the people of the city of Memphis in a 304 square-mile are ...
* Omaha Police Department
The Omaha Police Department (OPD) is the principal law enforcement agency of the city of Omaha
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States o ...
* King County Sheriff's Office
The King County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) is a local police agency in King County, Washington, United States. It is the primary law enforcement agency for all unincorporated areas of King County, as well as 12 cities and two transit agencies which ...
* New Jersey State Trooper
* United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
* United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
*United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
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* Venezuelan Army
*Venezuelan Navy
)
, mascot =
, battles = Venezuelan War of Independence and the Battle of Lake Maracaibo
, anniversaries = July 24, Birthday of Simon Bolivar, Navy Day and Battle of Lake Maracai ...
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*Yemeni Air Force
The Yemeni Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية اليمنية, al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Yamaniya) is the air operations branch of the Yemeni Armed Forces. Numbers of aircraft can not be confirmed but serviceability of these aircraft is low. ...
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*Zambian Air Force
The Zambian Air Force (ZAF) is the air force of Zambia and the air operations element of the Zambian Defence Force. Following the creation of the Republic of Zambia in 1964, the former Northern Rhodesia Air Force was renamed as the Zambian Air ...
Former operators
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* Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
* Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the principal naval force of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The professional head of the RAN is Chief of Navy (CN) Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN. CN is also jointly responsible to the Minister of ...
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* Canadian Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.
...
*Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; french: links=no, Garde côtière canadienne, GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues in ...
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* Chilean Army
The Chilean Army ( es, Ejército de Chile) is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 80,000-person army (9,200 of which are conscripts) is organized into six divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade.
In recent years, and a ...
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* Indonesian National Police
''
, mottotranslated = (Serving the Nation)
, formed =
, preceding1 =
, dissolved =
, superseding =
, employees = 440,000 (2020)
, volunteers =
, budget =
, nongovernment ...
– Retired in 2007
;
* Jamaica Defence Force
The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the combined military of Jamaica, consisting of an infantry Regiment and Reserve Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleet and a supporting Engineering Unit. The JDF is based upon the British military model, with ...
;
* Armed Forces of Malta
The Armed Forces of Malta ( mt, Forzi Armati ta' Malta) is the name given to the combined armed services of Malta. The AFM is a brigade sized organisation consisting of a headquarters and three separate battalions, with minimal air and naval ...
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* Swedish Air Force
The Swedish Air Force ( sv, Svenska flygvapnet or just ) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the es ...
* Swedish Navy
The Swedish Navy ( sv, Svenska marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. It is composed of surface and submarine naval units – the Fleet () – as well as marine units, the Amphibious Corps ().
In Swedish, vessels o ...
Specifications (206B-L4 Long Ranger)
Notable appearances in media
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* * * * *External links
Bell Model 206L-4 page on Bell's site
{{Thai helicopter designations 1960s United States helicopters 1960s United States civil utility aircraft 1960s Canadian helicopters 1960s Canadian civil utility aircraft 206 Single-turbine helicopters Aircraft first flown in 1962