Bell 206: JetRanger and LongRanger
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As mentioned, the A model had a 250-C18, which wasn't cycle limited, and a 3000 lb MAUW. The II and III have a C20B engine, and the III has a 92 gallon tank, which has been subject to a 50-ft drop test with all that fuel in, which the ordinary 76 gallon one with a range extender hasn't.
Otherwise, there's not much real difference, aside from styling and looks inside, except that the III has a higher internal MAUW of 3350 lbs (as opposed to 3200) if the 65" tail rotor is fitted, together with a placard or two. I think the II can have the same mod, but I'm not sure.
Phil
Otherwise, there's not much real difference, aside from styling and looks inside, except that the III has a higher internal MAUW of 3350 lbs (as opposed to 3200) if the 65" tail rotor is fitted, together with a placard or two. I think the II can have the same mod, but I'm not sure.
Phil
So, the only difference between II and III is the tail rotor. No structural difference in the tail boom?
The whole thing came up on our two jetrangers. S/N around 8400, almost one after the other. One has a sign (just FWD of front door) Agusta-Bell Jetranger III, the other just Agusta Bell Jetranger. And I was wondering if the other might be something else than a III, and how can you tell. Nothing about "JetRanger ??" in the manual.
From what i can tell, both have the same tail rotor. Only difference is that one has leather seats.
The whole thing came up on our two jetrangers. S/N around 8400, almost one after the other. One has a sign (just FWD of front door) Agusta-Bell Jetranger III, the other just Agusta Bell Jetranger. And I was wondering if the other might be something else than a III, and how can you tell. Nothing about "JetRanger ??" in the manual.
From what i can tell, both have the same tail rotor. Only difference is that one has leather seats.
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IIs or IIs converted into IIIs have the fuel pump/filter in a different position on opposite side.
Also check door latches - IIs had square ones, IIIs aerofoil shape (unless they went to the trouble of changing them when they upgraded a II to a III).
Also check door latches - IIs had square ones, IIIs aerofoil shape (unless they went to the trouble of changing them when they upgraded a II to a III).
If you're a low time pilot, or inexperienced on JetRangers, then a checkout on an A model if you've not flown one before is a must.
A company I do ad-hoc work for had to lease in a 206. Only one available was an A model and I had to get checked out on it specifically before flying it. It turned out to be the hottest day of the year as well, so an A model which hits the TOT limit first, not a torque limit, was interesting.
What did I learn, both from the checkout and the day's flying ? Don't have loads of fuel, make sure the ground staff load pax to a MAUM well below the max authorised for the a/c (in this case MAUM is 3000 lb, I kept it with 25 USG and asked for a max of 2800lbs max). Worked a treat.
A company I do ad-hoc work for had to lease in a 206. Only one available was an A model and I had to get checked out on it specifically before flying it. It turned out to be the hottest day of the year as well, so an A model which hits the TOT limit first, not a torque limit, was interesting.
What did I learn, both from the checkout and the day's flying ? Don't have loads of fuel, make sure the ground staff load pax to a MAUM well below the max authorised for the a/c (in this case MAUM is 3000 lb, I kept it with 25 USG and asked for a max of 2800lbs max). Worked a treat.
In our country we have no A models. TQ is defenetly the first to reach the limit.
@goaround7:
Fuel filter is located on the port side.]
@goaround7:
Fuel filter is located on the port side.]
Last edited by Phoinix; 17th Jul 2005 at 19:52.
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From memory all the A models I have flown have had hydraulic pedals. Also most jetranges I have seen have a small tag attached near the drivers side pedals that gives serial number and model type.
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jetranger
The information for converting a Jetranger from a 11 to a 111 is contained in Service Instruction 112. From memory the items that require changing are the larger (wider) oil cooler which also requires strengthening of the deck which it sits on.
The tail rotor gear box output shaft on the 111 is also different (larger). The tail rotor gear box housing is the same but the cover plate, output shaft, bearing etc are different.
The tail rotor gear box output shaft on the 111 is also different (larger). The tail rotor gear box housing is the same but the cover plate, output shaft, bearing etc are different.
Isn't there also a difference in the main Xmsn, one having 3 spur gears and the later models having 4?
Instrument panel clusters varied from a B47 layout, to a curved panel like a Huey, to a flat rectangle.
Where's Giovanni Cento Nove when you need a techo answer like this? Swanning around somewhere in the Med on his yacht, probably.
Instrument panel clusters varied from a B47 layout, to a curved panel like a Huey, to a flat rectangle.
Where's Giovanni Cento Nove when you need a techo answer like this? Swanning around somewhere in the Med on his yacht, probably.
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Phoinix,
I thought your two Jetrangers were SN's 8643 & 8646. Both manufactured in 1981. That would make them both BIII's. See the approved flight manual.
Bell started production of the Jetranger in 1965. The first civilian model was the 206A, with the Allison 250-C18 which produced max 317shp. This was and still is the transmission limit. Engine TBO was 1,500 hrs - no cycle limit. MAUM 3,000lbs.
In 1971 the 206B started production, the engine was changed to the C20 with a 3,500 TBO (but cycle limited). The panel was changed and MAUM was increased to 3,200lbs.
You can convert a 206A to B spec's and this is known as a 206A/B.
In 1976 minor upgrades were introduced and the was known as the BII.
In 1977 the BIII was introduced with the C20B 420 shp engine and 2" larger tail rotor for more tail rotor authority. Transmission limit still 317shp. Factory new BIII's are SN's >= 2212.
In 1982 the BIII (SN's 3567 onwards) got better seats, 91gal tank, improved latches, wedge windows, harness changes and the C20J engine (with minor changes over the C20B).
Agusta license built virtually all models of the 206 for sale outside of the US.
All of the top of my head
I thought your two Jetrangers were SN's 8643 & 8646. Both manufactured in 1981. That would make them both BIII's. See the approved flight manual.
Bell started production of the Jetranger in 1965. The first civilian model was the 206A, with the Allison 250-C18 which produced max 317shp. This was and still is the transmission limit. Engine TBO was 1,500 hrs - no cycle limit. MAUM 3,000lbs.
In 1971 the 206B started production, the engine was changed to the C20 with a 3,500 TBO (but cycle limited). The panel was changed and MAUM was increased to 3,200lbs.
You can convert a 206A to B spec's and this is known as a 206A/B.
In 1976 minor upgrades were introduced and the was known as the BII.
In 1977 the BIII was introduced with the C20B 420 shp engine and 2" larger tail rotor for more tail rotor authority. Transmission limit still 317shp. Factory new BIII's are SN's >= 2212.
In 1982 the BIII (SN's 3567 onwards) got better seats, 91gal tank, improved latches, wedge windows, harness changes and the C20J engine (with minor changes over the C20B).
Agusta license built virtually all models of the 206 for sale outside of the US.
All of the top of my head
Last edited by Jed A1; 6th Jul 2005 at 04:59.
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Differences
Jetranger III has
* Bigger air vents positioned lower on nose
* Double latch doors
* C20B eng (later models have W,J or R)
* 4 pinion planetary in transmission also oil filter housing instead of screw on filter.
* Beefier MR blade grips, different blade bolts.
* Rods and bellcranks for N2 system (instead of flex cable)
* Heavy duty Main driveshaft
* Bigger oil cooler (Deck under oil cooler is replaced with honeycomb deck)
* different oil cooler cowling (Mainly length and vent differences)
* TRDS cover different fasteners (camloc instead of DZUS)
* Segmented TRDS ( some late II's had this though)
* Bigger TRGB output shaft
* Bigger TR span
* Two piece aluminium TRGB cowling
* Different servo mount on top deck (lifed to 10000hrs)
* Air scoop on eng cowl for starter gen
The TR servo was phased out sometime during the BII production.
Also some other cosmetic changes in the interior with plastic changes and fwd seat belt shoulder harness mounts.
Later model III's have added rear shoulder harness and different door handles, similar to Longranger style handles!!
The fuel filter position was only changed when the alisons were having problems with turbines letting go.... with the filter on the port side next to the turbine it tended to get taken out when the turbine wheels flew out the side resulting in a fire to deal with as well as no engine.... so they moved it to the stbd front of the engine bay to give you one less thing to worry about if the turbine blew up!!! once this problem was solved they went back to thew old spot.
Any more questions???
* Bigger air vents positioned lower on nose
* Double latch doors
* C20B eng (later models have W,J or R)
* 4 pinion planetary in transmission also oil filter housing instead of screw on filter.
* Beefier MR blade grips, different blade bolts.
* Rods and bellcranks for N2 system (instead of flex cable)
* Heavy duty Main driveshaft
* Bigger oil cooler (Deck under oil cooler is replaced with honeycomb deck)
* different oil cooler cowling (Mainly length and vent differences)
* TRDS cover different fasteners (camloc instead of DZUS)
* Segmented TRDS ( some late II's had this though)
* Bigger TRGB output shaft
* Bigger TR span
* Two piece aluminium TRGB cowling
* Different servo mount on top deck (lifed to 10000hrs)
* Air scoop on eng cowl for starter gen
The TR servo was phased out sometime during the BII production.
Also some other cosmetic changes in the interior with plastic changes and fwd seat belt shoulder harness mounts.
Later model III's have added rear shoulder harness and different door handles, similar to Longranger style handles!!
The fuel filter position was only changed when the alisons were having problems with turbines letting go.... with the filter on the port side next to the turbine it tended to get taken out when the turbine wheels flew out the side resulting in a fire to deal with as well as no engine.... so they moved it to the stbd front of the engine bay to give you one less thing to worry about if the turbine blew up!!! once this problem was solved they went back to thew old spot.
Any more questions???
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Airframe fuel filter
From memory, many years ago there used to be a placard on 206 N2 gauges that said "Avoid continuous ops between 90 - 98% N2"
There was a yellow arc and it was advised that ops were either at idle or 100% with smooth acceleration to be carried out between 90-98 and no ops in that range due to a harmonic forming in the #3 wheel. The harmonic would cause blade and shroud separation, this is why bell moved the filter.
Allison beefed up the wheels and this problem was cured. The filters were then put back in their original place in later models.
Besides it was a bit crowded up front maintenance wise if you had to remove a driveshaft with a fuel filter in the way, especially if there was a rotorbrake fitted, I much prefer the filter up the back end of the engine instead of the front!!!
There was a yellow arc and it was advised that ops were either at idle or 100% with smooth acceleration to be carried out between 90-98 and no ops in that range due to a harmonic forming in the #3 wheel. The harmonic would cause blade and shroud separation, this is why bell moved the filter.
Allison beefed up the wheels and this problem was cured. The filters were then put back in their original place in later models.
Besides it was a bit crowded up front maintenance wise if you had to remove a driveshaft with a fuel filter in the way, especially if there was a rotorbrake fitted, I much prefer the filter up the back end of the engine instead of the front!!!
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Don't have loads of fuel, make sure the ground staff load pax to a MAUM well below the max authorised for the a/c
Jed A1, you are correct. My bad on S/N. How did you get the data for our jetrangers anyway? 
You guys are amazing, thanks for the info!
You guys are amazing, thanks for the info!
Last edited by Phoinix; 8th Jul 2005 at 12:45.
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NR and N2 in autorotation
OK so here's the situation:
Doing track and balance in a refurbished 206 A model with a C18 motor. When the throttle is rolled off to ground idle, the N2 stays in line with NR.
Initially if NR increases then N2 will follow it with an increase, but then slowly it will start to decrease, but N2 never gets to the idle position of around 60-65%.
So is this normal for a C18, all other 206's I've flown when the throttle is closed there is an immediate needle split.
Is it a problem with the sprag clutch (that's we think) or something else.
Aircraft grounded until we have an answer.
Thanks in advance.
Doing track and balance in a refurbished 206 A model with a C18 motor. When the throttle is rolled off to ground idle, the N2 stays in line with NR.
Initially if NR increases then N2 will follow it with an increase, but then slowly it will start to decrease, but N2 never gets to the idle position of around 60-65%.
So is this normal for a C18, all other 206's I've flown when the throttle is closed there is an immediate needle split.
Is it a problem with the sprag clutch (that's we think) or something else.
Aircraft grounded until we have an answer.
Thanks in advance.
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The condition isn't normal, I think. The clutch is the first suspect. How does it behave manually when things aren't running? Any noises or funny business?
Sounds like it is partially hanging up, which is a sign it could fail in either direction, potentially leading to a de-clutch under power, which looks like an engine overspeed combined with an engine failure. Not good.
Sounds like it is partially hanging up, which is a sign it could fail in either direction, potentially leading to a de-clutch under power, which looks like an engine overspeed combined with an engine failure. Not good.
The condition isn't normal, I think. The clutch is the first suspect.
vaqueroaero:
Initially if NR increases then N2 will follow it with an increase, but then slowly it will start to decrease, but N2 never gets to the idle position of around 60-65%.
Governed?
Yup. Just because the fuel control lever (that "throttle" thingee) is in "Idle" doesn't mean that the governor isn't still working. And yes, it will keep the N2 from overspeeding if the NR increases above 100%.
Many new turbine pilots are confused by this. They do not understand that the N2 needles WILL NOT necessarily split like a recip in a practice auto. One fatal accident occurred because during the practice auto the two pilots were more concerned about the lack of a needle-split than what they were doing. The Rolls Royce engine manual even states that some "N2 instability" is normal. Yeah, once in awhile I've seen a little "hunting" of the N2 needle in a practice auto (especially with a C-30), but most of the time the N2 stays right up there at 100%. In fact, in practice, there is very little difference between flat-pitch "full throttle" and flat-pitch "flight-idle." Even the N1 readings may be similar.
But just for argument's sake let's rule out the freewheeling unit! When you shut the engine down, do you get a needle-split then? (Go to cut-off from 70 or 80% NR if you have to.) When the ship is shut down and you turn the rotor in the direction of rotation, can you hear the N2 wheels turning?
If the answer to those two questions is "yes," then there is no reason to ground the ship. Fly on, hombre.
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Wow, do we need a course correction or what?
How many things did pprfan#1 just screw up? Let me see:
1) When the throttle on an Allison/RR is rolled to idle, the governor is put to bed, out of the picture. I could draw the schematic for ppf if he'd bother to read it. At idle, the CECO fuel control metering valve is pulled back to an essentially fixed position, which allows the engine to barely run. On an S-76A the idle will be about 65 to 70% if the throttle is pulled back, with the rotor at 100%.
2) The needles will split, virtually all the time, when you command the engine to idle with the throttle while the rotor is at 100%. If you just let the collective down and the rotor builds upward, the engine will still be governed, and will creep up to about 103%. This is called updroop, and is built into the governor for stability purposes.
3) If you do not get a clean needle split when you roll the throttle to idle and the rotor stays at 100%, then land the aircraft and give it to pprune fan #1. He deserves it. In Sikorskys, including RR equipped engines (S-76A), it is a maintenance check that you MUST get a split. If not, suspect the clutch.
In my turbine flying, I have seen a few clutches that hang slightly, enough to prevent a split when the throttle/speed levers are pulled to idle. These clutches had bad rollers, and in one case, the clutch was about to fail. I also have a few patents on these engine control characteristics, I think I understand it a bit.
I really do not know what is up pprune Fan #1's butt this week, but I hope it crawls out and leaves him alone!
How many things did pprfan#1 just screw up? Let me see:
1) When the throttle on an Allison/RR is rolled to idle, the governor is put to bed, out of the picture. I could draw the schematic for ppf if he'd bother to read it. At idle, the CECO fuel control metering valve is pulled back to an essentially fixed position, which allows the engine to barely run. On an S-76A the idle will be about 65 to 70% if the throttle is pulled back, with the rotor at 100%.
2) The needles will split, virtually all the time, when you command the engine to idle with the throttle while the rotor is at 100%. If you just let the collective down and the rotor builds upward, the engine will still be governed, and will creep up to about 103%. This is called updroop, and is built into the governor for stability purposes.
3) If you do not get a clean needle split when you roll the throttle to idle and the rotor stays at 100%, then land the aircraft and give it to pprune fan #1. He deserves it. In Sikorskys, including RR equipped engines (S-76A), it is a maintenance check that you MUST get a split. If not, suspect the clutch.
In my turbine flying, I have seen a few clutches that hang slightly, enough to prevent a split when the throttle/speed levers are pulled to idle. These clutches had bad rollers, and in one case, the clutch was about to fail. I also have a few patents on these engine control characteristics, I think I understand it a bit.
I really do not know what is up pprune Fan #1's butt this week, but I hope it crawls out and leaves him alone!
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Number 1 Fan....
What a dangerous series of one liners that you have quoted.
If any younger aviator listens and remembers your obviously incorrect statements then they may put your advice into action with serious implications.
One piece of advice to all:….
If you roll the throttle off in flight and there is no Split between the NR and N2 on a RR, then put the machine happily on the closest hard ground and yell for help.
You have a Clutch Free Wheel Unit problem…..
What a dangerous series of one liners that you have quoted.
If any younger aviator listens and remembers your obviously incorrect statements then they may put your advice into action with serious implications.
One piece of advice to all:….
If you roll the throttle off in flight and there is no Split between the NR and N2 on a RR, then put the machine happily on the closest hard ground and yell for help.
You have a Clutch Free Wheel Unit problem…..