I cannot find anything regarding g loading in the JetRanger manual and the multiple pilots and instructors that I spoke with cannot give me a number
The earliest FAR 27 I can find is dated 2nd Oct 1964 which is a little over one year prior to the 206 flying and would have applied to the design I assume.
Sec. 27.337
Limit maneuvering load factor.
The rotorcraft must be designed for--
(a) A positive limit maneuvering load factor of 3.5 and a negative limit maneuvering load factor of 1.0; or
(b) Any lesser positive limit maneuvering load factor not less than 2.0, and lesser negative limit maneuvering load factor not less than 0.5, whose probability of being exceeded is shown by analysis and flight test to be extremely remote.
Reading the above FAR can be a bit confusing so the latest ammendment (1990) is included.
§27.337 Limit maneuvering load factor.The rotorcraft must be designed for—
(a) A limit maneuvering load factor ranging from a positive limit of 3.5 to a negative limit of −1.0; or
(b) Any positive limit maneuvering load factor not less than 2.0 and any negative limit maneuvering load factor of not less than −0.5 for which—
(1) The probability of being exceeded is shown by analysis and flight tests to be extremely remote; and
(2) The selected values are appropriate to each weight condition between the design maximum and design minimum weights.
So worse case is para (b), your limits would be at least +2 and not less than +0.5 for a 206.
From the graph you can see 2 g comes from a balanced turn at 60° of bank, 3.5 g at 73°, of course you may not have the power available to maintain altitude so decent will be necessary.
The 206B-1 manual states a in the Limitations section "Flight at less than 0.5 g is prohibited", so you can take it as read that it would apply to all 206's. The 206B-1 history - Military (Kiowa), Bell serial numbers 44501 to 44556, first twelve built in the USA, the rest in Australia, unique version to Australia as far as I can gather, just a regular 206 really with ability to fit two stretchers, winch, different cargo hook system to regular 206, plumbed to take an overload fuel tank that could be fitted on rear seat, and of course military avionics.
