vertalop
You are right the 212 has a 14,000 FT limitation, but it does OK at 15,000 FT, since I work at a Bell Representative company we get a lot of their pilots to come down here for training, last time we had a Bell pilot over here he told me that in the case of some Bell helicopters the altitude limitations were imposed strictly because at certification time they didn't have higher terrain available to do the required testing, as it would be to expensive for them, and prospective majority of customers at the time didn't need this.
In the case of the 212, it has been operated for many years over here above 14,000 FTMSL, the neighboor state goverment had one in which they did volcanic monitoring for years all above 14,000 FT. Engine starts are difficult so I've never shut down so high.
Last edited by BlenderPilot; 26th Sep 2002 at 16:54.