Bell 212

Bell 212
Bell 212 operated by Kachina departs from the Mojave Spaceport
Role Medium helicopter
National origin United States/Canada
Manufacturer Bell Helicopter
First flight 1968
Introduction 1968
Status In service
Primary user CHC Helicopter
Produced 1968-1998[1]
Developed from Bell 204/205
Variants Bell UH-1N Twin Huey
Bell 412

The Bell 212 (also known as the Twin Two-Twelve) is a two-blade, twin-engine, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in 1988, along with all Bell commercial helicopter production after that plant opened in 1986.[2][3]

The 212 is marketed to civilian operators and has a fifteen-seat configuration, with one pilot and fourteen passengers. In cargo configuration the 212 has an internal capacity of 220 ft³ (6.23 m³). An external load of up to 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) can be carried.

Development

Based on the stretched fuselage Bell 205, the Bell 212 was originally developed for the Canadian Forces as the CUH-1N and later redesignated as the CH-135. The Canadian Forces took delivery of 50 starting in May 1971. At the same time the United States military services ordered 294 Bell 212s under the designation UH-1N.

German Bell 212 used as air ambulance by the Ministry of the Interior.

By 1971 the 212 had been developed for commercial applications. Among the earliest uses of the 212 in civil aviation was by Helicopter Service AS of Norway to be used in support of offshore oil rigs. Today the 212 can be found used in logging operations, maritime rescue and resupply in the Arctic on the Distant Early Warning Line or North Warning System.

The 212's main rotor is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3 Twin-Pac made up of two coupled PT6 power turbines driving a common gearbox. They are capable of producing up to 1,800 shp (1,342 kW). Should one engine fail the remaining engine can deliver 900 shp (671 kW) for 30 minutes, or 765 shp (571 kW) continuously, enabling the 212 to maintain cruise performance at maximum weight.

A Bell 212 with a helicopter bucket
National Police of Colombia Bell 212 on patrol
Santa Barbara County Handcrew and a Bell 212 on the Day Fire
Bell 212 of the Macedonian Police flying over Skopje, 2008

Early 212s configured with an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) instrument package were required to have a large and very obvious fin attached to the roof of the aircraft, above and slightly behind the cockpit. This fin was initially determined necessary to alter the turning performance of the aircraft during complex instrument flight maneuvers, but is no longer required due to revised stipulations of the type certificate. Many aircraft still fly with the modification.

In 1979, with the purchase of eight by the Civil Air Authority, the 212 became the first U.S. helicopter sold in the People's Republic of China.

The ICAO designator for this aircraft as used in a flight plan is "B212". Bell developed the Model 212 further with the Bell 412; the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor. The last Bell 212 was delivered in 1998.[1]

Variants

Operators

Civil and government operators

Aeropower Bell 212 Eagle Single at Latrobe Regional Airport in Australia equipped with helicopter bucket for firefighting

The Bell 212 is used by many private and commercial operators, it is particularly popular in the oil industries and for law enforcement use.

 Canada
 Colombia
 Croatia
 Greece
 Japan
 Serbia
 Slovenia
 Thailand
 United States

Specifications (Bell 212)

Cockpit

Data from Bell 212 Rotorcraft Flight Manual[16]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Related lists

References

  1. 1 2 "Bell 212" (subscription article). Jane's Helicopter Markets and Systems. Jane's Information Group, 2 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Industry Canada (December 2010). "Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd. - Complete Profile". Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  3. ↑ Goold, Ian (November 1987). "Canada Seeks Helicopter Self Sufficiency". Flight International. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-05-18. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  5. ↑ Canadian Coast Guard (17 April 2012). "Coast Guard Rotary Wing Aircraft". Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "CH-135 detailed list". rwrwalker.ca. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ "Greek navy loses AB212 helicopter in training accident". janes.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "Japan Coast Guard Bell-212". 海上保安庁 2013 FlyTeam. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Serbia Police Aviation". aeroflight.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "Helikopterji in oprema". policija.si. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  12. ↑ "¡Í§ºÔ¹µÓÃǨ ¢èÒÇÊÒÃáÅСԨ¡ÃÃÁ". police.go.th. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Aircraft Operated". sbcounty.gov. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  14. ↑ "Dousing the Flames: San Diego Fire Department Air Ops Program". Access Intelligence, LLC. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Aircraft N212VC". vcsd.org. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Bell 212 Rotorcraft Flight Manual BHT-212IFR-FM-1 revision 3, 1 May 1998.

Further reading

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