Bell 412

Bell 412
Bell 412EP of the Los Angeles City Fire Department
Role Multipurpose utility helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Bell Helicopter
Introduction 1981
Status In service
Primary users Royal Air Force
See Operators for others
Produced 1979-present
Number built Over 869
Developed from Bell 212
Variants Bell CH-146 Griffon

The Bell 412 is a twin-engine utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.

Design and development

Development began in the late 1970s with two Bell 212s being converted into 412 prototypes. An advanced four-blade main rotor with a smaller diameter replaced the 212's two-blade rotor. A Bell 412 prototype first flew in August 1979. The initial model was certified in January 1981 with deliveries commencing in the same month.[1]

The 412 model was followed by the 412SP (Special Performance) version featuring larger fuel capacity, higher takeoff weight and optional seating arrangements. In 1991, the 412HP (High Performance) variant with improved transmission replaced the SP version in production.[1] The current production version, 412EP (Enhanced Performance), is equipped with a dual digital automatic flight control system. In 2013 Bell introduced the 412EPI which includes an electronic engine control (FADEC) for a PT6T-9 engine upgrade, and a glass cockpit display system similar to the Bell model 429. Also featured is a Garmin touchscreen navigation system, and the BLR Strake and Fast Fin upgrades for improved hover performance.[2]

Over 700 Model 412s (including 260 by AgustaWestland) have been built.[3]

Variants

Bell 412EP (offshore configuration) test flight at Ratmalana Airport
Bell 412
Standard Model with P&WC PT6T-3B
Bell 412SP
Special Performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BF engines
Bell 412HP
High performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BG or -3D engines
Bell 412EP
Enhanced performance version with P&WC PT6T-3DF engines
Bell 412EPI
Glass cockpit version with P&WC PT6T-9 electronic controlled engines
Bell 412CF (CH-146 Griffon)
100 custom-built utility transport helicopters for the Canadian Forces, based on 412EP and designated by Bell as 412CF
Bell Griffin HT1
Advanced training helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) since 1997 as an advanced flying trainer. Operated by the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury and the Search and Rescue Training Unit at RAF Valley.
Bell Griffin HAR2
Search and Rescue helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by No. 84 Squadron RAF since 2003 at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
Agusta-Bell AB 412
Civil utility transport version, built under license in Italy by Agusta.[4]
Agusta-Bell AB 412EP
Italian-built version of the Bell 412EP.[4]
Agusta-Bell AB 412 Grifone
Military utility transport version, built under licence in Italy by Agusta.[4]
Agusta-Bell AB 412 CRESO
Italian-built version, fitted with a ground surveillance radar.
NBell 412
IPTN's licensed product of Bell 412[4]
Panha 412EP
Iranian domestically reverse-engineered version of AB 412EP, which has been in use with Iranian military. 4 of these variant were introduced at October 8, 2016 by Red Crescent of Iran.

Operators

A Bell 412 of PASCO teaching pilot institute in 2012 Iran Kish Air Show

The Bell 412 is used by private and commercial operators. It is particularly popular in the oil industries, military and for law enforcement use.

Military operators

 Algeria
 Argentina
 Botswana
 Cameroon
 Canada
Royal Canadian Air Force
 Chile
Chilean Air Force Bell 412
 China
 Colombia
 Dominican Republic
 El Salvador
 Eritrea
 Ghana
 Guatemala
 Guyana
A Finnish Frontier Guard Agusta Bell AB-412
 Honduras
 Indonesia
 Italy
 Jamaica
 Japan
 Lesotho
 Mexico
 Morocco
 Netherlands
 Nigeria
 Norway
Norwegian Bell 412SP helicopters taking part in the NATO exercise Strong Resolve 2002
Polish Bell 412HP
 Pakistan
 Panama
 Peru
 Philippines
 Saudi Arabia
 Slovenia
A medical 412EP provided by Helisureste
 South Korea
 Sri Lanka
 Thailand
 Turkey
 United Arab Emirates
 United Kingdom
 Venezuela
A Bell 412EP Griffin HT1 helicopter of the Royal Air Force Defence Helicopter Flying School hover taxis to the runway at RIAT 2010
 Zimbabwe

Governmental operators

 Australia
 Brazil
 Canada
 Colombia
 Czech Republic
 Finland
 Italy
An L.A. County Fire Dept. 412 sits atop a helipad in the mountains in the Angeles National Forest.
 Japan
 Slovenia
 United States

Incidents and accidents

On April 4, 1991, a Bell 412 collided with a small plane carrying United States Senator H. John Heinz III, which killed the senator.

On December 10, 2006, a Bell 412 medical helicopter Mercy Air 2 crashed in mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California. All three crew members on board died.

On February 6, 2008, a Bell 412 crashed due to a malfunction, killing Major General Javed Sultan, the commanding officer for Kohat garrison, along with two brigadiers and five other military personnel in South Waziristan Agency, Pakistan.[44][45]

On April 7, 2009, a Bell 412EP presidential helicopter operated by the Philippine Air Force crashed in bad weather on the slopes of Mount Pulag in Tinoc, Ifugao on a flight from Loakan Airport to Lagawe. All eight on board the helicopter died, including four key aides of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.[46][47]

On November 22, 2010, a Bell 412 belonging to the Cameroon defense forces crashed en route from Douala to the country's capital Yaounde.[48] According to government sources, the aircraft had three crew and two passengers.

On February 6, 2014, a Bell 412 of Panama Public Forces SENAN, crash on Mamsucum, Guna Yala Indian Reserve, killing Lieutenant Agustín Santos and injuring eight others, including SENAN Executive Director Belsio González. Witnesses reported a dense fog with reduced visibility in the area. The aircraft was undertaking anti-drug operations against drug lords and was in pursuit of a high speed boat when it crashed in the jungle.[49]

On April 13, 2014, an Augusta-Bell 412 military helicopter slammed into a hangar and crashed as it took off at Julius Nyerere International Airport, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Occupants including Tanzanian Vice President Mohamed Gharib Bilal and other top government officials narrowly survived the crash.[50]

On March 20, 2016, a Bell 412EP crashed in Poso district (Indonesia) while flying in adverse weather conditions. The helicopter was on a mission to capture the country's most wanted militant when it crashed and burst into flames. The helicopter was carrying 13 soldiers and crew when it went down about 35 minutes after taking off from Poso district's Watutau village, said Maj. Gen. Agus Surya Bakti, the regional military chief overseeing South and Central Sulawesi provinces. All 13 people on board died.[51]

On August 9, 2016, a Griffin HT-1 of the Defence Helicopter Flying School of the Royal Air Force caught fire after making an emergency landing on top of Yr Aran, Wales following a technical problem. All four crew exited safely.[52]

On March 5, 2017 a Bell 412 EP of the Nagano Prefecture Air Rescue Team crashed on Mt Hachibuse in Nagano Prefecture, Japan during a training flight. All nine personnel on board were killed.[53][54][55]

Specifications (412EP)

Rotor head and transmission of a Bell 412

Data from International Directory of Civil Aircraft,[56] Bell 412EP Product Specifications[57]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Related lists

References

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  4. 1 2 3 4 Model 212 Twin Huey: USN-USMC UH-1N / Model 412 Archived February 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.. Vectorsite.net, 1 December 2007.
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