Greetings & Bell 206A #171

[RotorRick]

Greetings everyone. LONG time subscriber/lurker. I have been reading pprune for many many years at this point, but this may be only my third posting!

I'm one of those "older" pilots who have flown so many aircraft that i have forgotten most of them! They say Short Term Memory is the second thing to go. I can't remember the first!

Anyway, a few years ago I brought home the first Turbine helicopter I ever flew. a 1968 Bell 206A SN# 171 It still has it's C18, SCAS and Boosted pedals! With only 1980.6 TT it's barely broken in. It's in my hangar getting the TLC it needs. Truly a labor of love. Did I mention it only weighs 1624.7 lbs?

I've already purchased a GNS530 to update the rather dated, but Groovy Wood veneer panel. And am trying to figure out the best way to implement the ADSB standard without breaking the bank. And yes, the Stereo Cassette player stays! Pity it didn't have shag carpeting....

Does need some paintwork touchups on the front door corners and belly... working on that as the weather improves.

I tried to post a few photos, but sadly the system won't let me as yet.

Anyway, hello to everyone out there. Would love to get in touch with other C18 and early 206A folks.

Rick

[twinstar_ca]

That's awesome, Rick... send the pics to [email protected] and I'd be pleased to post them on your behalf..

Grant

[RVDT]

Flew "A" model #93 for a bit - had a panel about the size of an R22.

Was on short gear and was quite happy indicating ~ 120 knots. Later on fixed bags which will teach you all about yaw/roll coupling!

I think all the early cabs were "hand made" by Agusta and a lot of airframe parts are "unique" shall we say.

Check the minimum friction is correct on your boosted pedals otherwise they are a bit tricky and you definitely do not want them to "run away".

As it had a C-18 you could probably throw the torquemeter in the trash as it was never going to be an issue.

Yes - truly a "labor of love" these days.

[RotorRick]

RVDT,
Early fuselages were made by Beechcraft and Agusta, many with more flush rivets. On "low" (really standard) skids with fairings you could see an extra 4 knots. At low weights, could be better than that. Pedals are working just like I like them :)

Keeping an eye on the temps becomes second nature with the c18. That being said i am really never loaded much and rarely get about 2500ft so it's all good. 80% gives plenty of speed and reasonable fuel economy.

I will try and keep it running as long as possible.

Rick

[Ascend Charlie]

Ah yes, the individual warning button/lights spread across the panel. The piddly engine instruments over on the left, giving some interesting parallax readings on the fuel quantity - which was only important when the needle was way off to the left anyway. The "AGUSTA" stamps on the pedals.

The plastics that made up the headliners and wall panels all were way past their use-by date, so we covered them with a sort-of-corduroy fabric in a nice grey/blue. It softened the interior quite nicely. Didn't go for the tassels around the windscreen or the nodding dog on the parcel shelf, though.

[Democritus]

I did my conversion to our C18 Agusta-Bell 206A S/N 8025 in the summer of 1968 - it was imported in November 1967. Early Agusta-Bell 206s all had 80 as part of the serial number so ours was really #25. I believe S/N 8025 is still flying in Australia as VH-EXE.

[RotorRick]

Thankfully Mine is a straight Bell so my pedals say...umm, Bell on them. The buttons are fine, my OCD kicks in when I want them all to be squared with eachother.

No tassels? And a package shelf doggie would bounce it's head quite a lot!

Cheers,

Rick

[RotorRick]

Democritus,
So you're, errr... older as well then?

Rick

[Democritus]

Democritus,
So you're, errr... older as well then?

Rick
Certainly am! I crack 80 next month. Still remember happy times on the 206A. In those early days we used to call the C18 the Allison hand grenade although thankfully it never let me down.

[RotorRick]

Democritus,
Happy Birthday!!
Thankfully, over the intervening years Detroit/Allison/RR have made some nice improvements. If you treat them well and do not fly like an... well you know. the C18 powered 206A can be a wonderfully reliable machine. That being said, I am always looking for a spare one, "just in case!"

Rick

[picman84]

Mr RotorRick

I fly a 206B on forestry in SE US we fitted a uAvionix tailbeacon too meet ADSB requirements simple install
look on uAvionix site for Rotorcraft approval letter ..they have a newer tailbeconX fancy version that i am not familiar with.

[parabellum]

I flew an AB206A in 1968, great when it was going, which was most of the time. On one otherwise normal work day, cruising at 700', (low cloud base), 4 pax plus self when a loud bang from the engine was heard and the engine stopped, we then carried out a forced landing.. The problem was that the third stage compressor bleed didn't 'seat' quite properly when closed, but only on rare occasions and at certain RPM etc., a harmonic built up which turned the compressor blades to glass and they shattered, taking themselves and the stators straight out of the exhaust.. The 'fix' was in the pipeline and fitted to later models, is that the 'C18' that I see referred to in this tread? Or did the fix come after C18. Just curious!

[RotorRick]

I have been looking at the TailbeaconX with an AV30C as an ADSB solution, however it's only one option. It does get me some panel space back, but the transponder is tough to change codes on with the AV30C (have to get to the page and change with tiny buttons, not all that easy in a helicopter.

I am also looking at the headless Garmin solutions with WAAS as I already have a GNS530A (non-WAAS) this with a new transponder like the KT74 which fits in the same slot as the existing King transponder. OR something completely different.

I'd post pictures, but the system wont let me yet.

Rick

[RotorRick]

Parabellum,
Early C18 were subject to quite a few failures. As they progresses, various mods were implemented culminating in the "Blue Ribbon" program later on. Since then, a few other improvements have been made especially with the wheels. In fact at this point you can use several stage wheels from the c20 series.

Like all c18 powered helicopters, close attention to TOT and overall temps will serve you well!

Rick

[Ascend Charlie]

I was fortunate enough that in my 8000 hrs on B206 I never had anything serious go wrong. Worst was an electrical failure at night, luckily over Sydney with lots of ambient lighting and the battery held on long enough to radio the tower that I was coming in, then all black. Landed on a taxiway and waited for the FollowMe Jeep to arrive. He nearly ran into me in the dark, then follow him along the taxiways back to our hangar.

The machine fitted me like a glove, a real pleasure to fly.

[RotorRick]

My current 206 is the first turbine helicopter I ever flew.... 35 years ago. Seems like only yesterday. It has a great amount of sentimental value to me. And the goal is to keep it flying as original as possible for as long as possible. The very definition of "labor of love."

I've always loved the Jet Ranger series, though not the 505. When at the latest Bell MRO conference I found out that no original Bell employees were asked about the 5050 design. It was a "clean sheet" effort by people who had no loyalty to the design nor suppliers. Seems to me they missed the boat by not making an evolutionary design rather than a revolutionary one.

I'll keep my 206!

Rick

[RotorRick]

Seeing if I can post a picture or two now.




https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1920x1355/20230506_140651a_sm_c646144f57decc8981fe5ce18fec2906f3e49e5b .jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1920x1080/20230903_182121_sm_3c55b2353484c2bf7afc53febf7e2f580df98cb8. jpg

[twinstar_ca]

Nice looking machine!! love the panel!! :ok:

[RotorRick]

At least it didn't have shag carpeting! But I do love my stereo cassette player!

Rick

[twinstar_ca]

At least it didn't have shag carpeting! But I do love my stereo cassette player!

Rick

lmao!!! :ok::cool: now all you need are bear paws!!

[RotorRick]

That's a Canadian thing, eh!

Hoser.

Rick

[twinstar_ca]

That's a Canadian thing, eh!

Hoser.

Rick

how's it going, eh!!! hoser and damn proud of it!!!! :cool:

[RotorRick]

Nice Toque!

Rick

[twinstar_ca]

:ok: thanks!!

[albatross]

First Bell 206 I ever flew in at CYUY Rouyn Noranda Quebec 1973. Pilot was Marcel Payant. one of the owners. She was on a contract to SCNO (Forest Fire suppression organization in Quebec.)

CF-RBR SN 10.
Initially imported to fly traffic for Radio Station CFRB in Toronto.
Destroyed in a tragic accident killing two of the Lamb brothers in 1978.

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1573549

[RotorRick]

That one looks like it's a Agusta-Bell?

Rick

[parabellum]

Thanks Rick. We were flying in and out of clearings in Indonesia, probably worked the machine quite hard!