Bell 206

Bell 206 JetRanger/LongRanger
An LAPD Bell 206 JetRanger
General information
TypeMultipurpose utility helicopter
National originUnited States/Canada
ManufacturerBell Helicopter
StatusIn service
Number built7,300[1]
History
Manufactured1962–2017[2]
Introduction date1967
First flightDecember 8, 1962 (206)[3]
January 10, 1966 (206A)[4]
Developed fromBell YOH-4
VariantsBell OH-58 Kiowa
Developed intoBell 407

The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- and twin-engined helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec, plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, it was not selected by the Army. Bell redesigned the airframe 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.

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-assigned model designation "B06" is used on flight plans for the JetRanger and LongRanger, and the designation "B06T" is used for the twin-engined TwinRangers.

  1. ^ Bell 206 JetRanger Archived February 12, 2005, at the Wayback Machine. GlobalSecurity.org, July 9, 2005. Retrieved: December 2009
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference AIN_end_prod was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1000photos-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Donald, David, ed. "Bell 206". The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Barnes & Nobel Books, 1997. ISBN 0-7607-0592-5

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