Bell 206: JetRanger and LongRanger
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Southern UK
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FL
That would place my age at over 90! Its Daddy Wunper.
Back in those days I looked a lot like the chap on the left in this AB206 phot taken at Blackbushe during Farnborough week 1968.
PM me if you want more info
Cheers!
W
That would place my age at over 90! Its Daddy Wunper.
Back in those days I looked a lot like the chap on the left in this AB206 phot taken at Blackbushe during Farnborough week 1968.
PM me if you want more info
Cheers!
W
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Just over there....no there.
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I used to regularly fly a 1967 (nearly as old as me but not quite) 206 when I was working out in Germany, apparently it was bought from the UK and was also one of the first in Europe, I can't remember the serial number but I could get it. It's now registered as D-HAFA.
Hang on while I get me spotters anorak off...
Hang on while I get me spotters anorak off...
A...what's that?...windshield wiper?! On a 206A?? And rain gutters too, but then it is Britain...
People who were not around back then simply cannot appreciate the effect that the 206 had on the scene. There was nothing like it. It was gorgeous when helicopters were anything but gorgeous. It was sleek and sexy whereas its non-"Jet" namesake (the 47J Ranger) was bulbous and frumpy.
Look at how clean the ship in the black and white photos is...nose poking up in the air like that on those low skids. How jaunty! Clean, smooth intakes, no sliding rear windows and no fresh air vents in the nose! Just beautiful. You *know* Mashman had to be proud of that bird. It is odd that the 206 fuselage with its peculiar combination of curves and angles still looks so good, even now. But it does. Every time I see one it turns me on in a way no jellybean EC-120 ever could.
The maroon machine in the colour photo has the second-series wide panel, which I always liked because it put the power gauges (torque and temp) right in front of you instead of over on the copilot's side.
The picture in my hand says "Aug 4, 1969." It is of the back of my father's head and the windshield frame of 206A N4726R with the south shore of Long Island, New York beyond. Had to be an early one (but it had the wide panel). Funny to think back at how good a pilot my father was...very smooth and confident even though it was his first time in a 206 as well. There is even the requisite picture of a scrawny 13 year-old Pprune Fan sitting in the pilot's seat after we shut down, controls in hand, pretending, dreaming. Little did I know back then how very many hours I would spend in just such a pose, doing it for money with the skids off the ground.
Wow, I hadn't thought about those pictures in a long, long time. Thanks for the memories, Wunper. And happy birthday JetRanger!
People who were not around back then simply cannot appreciate the effect that the 206 had on the scene. There was nothing like it. It was gorgeous when helicopters were anything but gorgeous. It was sleek and sexy whereas its non-"Jet" namesake (the 47J Ranger) was bulbous and frumpy.
Look at how clean the ship in the black and white photos is...nose poking up in the air like that on those low skids. How jaunty! Clean, smooth intakes, no sliding rear windows and no fresh air vents in the nose! Just beautiful. You *know* Mashman had to be proud of that bird. It is odd that the 206 fuselage with its peculiar combination of curves and angles still looks so good, even now. But it does. Every time I see one it turns me on in a way no jellybean EC-120 ever could.
The maroon machine in the colour photo has the second-series wide panel, which I always liked because it put the power gauges (torque and temp) right in front of you instead of over on the copilot's side.
The picture in my hand says "Aug 4, 1969." It is of the back of my father's head and the windshield frame of 206A N4726R with the south shore of Long Island, New York beyond. Had to be an early one (but it had the wide panel). Funny to think back at how good a pilot my father was...very smooth and confident even though it was his first time in a 206 as well. There is even the requisite picture of a scrawny 13 year-old Pprune Fan sitting in the pilot's seat after we shut down, controls in hand, pretending, dreaming. Little did I know back then how very many hours I would spend in just such a pose, doing it for money with the skids off the ground.
Wow, I hadn't thought about those pictures in a long, long time. Thanks for the memories, Wunper. And happy birthday JetRanger!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boise Idaho
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I flew the OH 58 A for the US Army. C18 engine and small tail rotor. It became my first wife. A few years back I flew N60PH for a sumer in Southeast Alaska. I think an old PHI machine. It is s/n 304 built 1969. It had been updated to a BIII but still had the boosted tailrotor. I flew it from Ketchikan along the Gulf of Alaska to Kenai and back. It is in Astoria Oregon last I knew. I saw it as I was driving through and stopped to meet the new owner and give it a hug. I was at Bell in Texas and asked one of the reps why they didn't do something about the seat. The reply was "When they built it they had no idea anyone would fly it that much." I said "Well I do so fix it." I found the Oregon Aero 206 seat is a good investment. I mostly fly a Bell 430 these days. The company still has a couple of BIIIs and two 205A++s that I get to fly now and again. When I get in the BIII I still get a tingle. On another story. At Bells new plant in Aliance Texas they have a huge hangar. On Monday they have customer night and invite everyone for drinks etc. They give out awards for lots of hours in Bell product etc. In the hangar was the company jet, a 609 tiltrotor and 429 mockups and a real AB139. Back in the corner was a cherry Bell 47. Every single person in the place was gathered around the 47 telling stories of back in the day. Everyone puts a card in a fish bowl and they draw a name for a ride in the 47. I did not get it but offered the winner $100 US for his seat. Thats right he went for a ride. Thanks for that!
How many have been manufactured?
How many Bell 206's including L's and Agusta built machiines have been manufactured since 1967? Were any manufactured at other than the US, Canadian and Italian facilities?
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I can't vouch for accuracy, but I found this history of the Jetranger series on the net.
206 OH-4A : light observation helicopter (1962 US Army)
206A JetRanger : multi-purpose light helicopter (1966) 206 OH-4A : light observation helicopter (1962 US Army)
206A TH-57A SeaRanger : basic training helicopter(1968 US Navy)
206A OH-58A Kiowa : light observation helicopter (1968 US Army)
206A OH-58B Kiowa : light observation helicopter (1976 Austria)
206B JetRanger II : multi-purpose light helicopter (1971)
206B-1 OH-58A Kiowa : light observation helicopter (1971 Australia) 44 of 56 built by CAC
206B-3 JetRanger III : multi-purpose light helicopter (1977)
206B-3 TH-67A Creek : basic training helicopter (19?? US Army)
206L LongRanger : multi-purpose light helicopter (1973)
206L-1 LongRanger II : multi-purpose light helicopter (1978)
206L-1 TexasRanger : multi-role military helicopter (1980)
206L-3 LongRanger III : multi-purpose light helicopter (1982)
206L-4 LongRanger IV : multi-purpose light helicopter (19??)
206LT TwinRanger : multi-purpose light helicopter, production version of Tridair Gemini ST(19??)
400 TwinRanger : multi-purpose light helicopter (1984)
406 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior : light attack and scout helicopter (1983 US Army)
406CS Combat Scout : light attack and multi-role helicopter (1983 private venture)
406CS MH-58D : light attack and multi-role helicopter (1990 Saudi Arabia)
407 : multi-purpose light helicopter (1994)
Agusta AB 206A-1 JetRanger : multi-purpose light helicopter (1967)
Agusta AB 206B JetRanger II : multi-purpose light helicopter (1972)
Agusta AB 206B JetRanger III : multi-purpose light helicopter (197?)
Agusta AB 206L LongRanger : multi-purpose light helicopter (197?)
Tridair Gemini ST : conversion of LongRanger with two 450 shp Allison 250-C20R turbine engines
H.
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Last edited by Heliport; 28th Jan 2006 at 12:26.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Hampshire, UK
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Right, on with the anorak..... we do have our uses sometimes.....
CyclicRick - D-HAFA was previously G-HELO, G-BAZN, 9J-RIN but started life as ZS-HCJ. c/n 124, a 1967 machine.
First registered in UK as G-BAZN on 01-06-1973 to Autair Ltd.
Then on 08-08-1973 to Somerton-Rayner Helicopters Ltd.
Then on 17-08-1983 to Blue Star Ship Management Ltd.
Then finally on 07-08-1987 to Closeautos Ltd.
It then changed reg to G-HELO on 09-11-1987 to Surrey Helicopter Hire Ltd. (I think that Closeauto Ltd. & Surrey Helicopter Hire Ltd. are one & the same company), they then sold the aircraft to Germany on 27-08-1992.
Oldest flying JetRanger (Agusta-Bell) in UK currently is G-AVII that has been with Bristow from new since 10-03-1967.
G-AVII on G-INFO
Oldest flying Bell JetRanger is G-GAND which is ex Bristow (G-AWMK) a 1968 machine.
My shot of G-GAND on G-INFO
Highest time 206 in UK is G-BXKL with more than 23,000 hours. It looks as fresh as new.
My shot of G-BXKL taken in 2004
CyclicRick - D-HAFA was previously G-HELO, G-BAZN, 9J-RIN but started life as ZS-HCJ. c/n 124, a 1967 machine.
First registered in UK as G-BAZN on 01-06-1973 to Autair Ltd.
Then on 08-08-1973 to Somerton-Rayner Helicopters Ltd.
Then on 17-08-1983 to Blue Star Ship Management Ltd.
Then finally on 07-08-1987 to Closeautos Ltd.
It then changed reg to G-HELO on 09-11-1987 to Surrey Helicopter Hire Ltd. (I think that Closeauto Ltd. & Surrey Helicopter Hire Ltd. are one & the same company), they then sold the aircraft to Germany on 27-08-1992.
Oldest flying JetRanger (Agusta-Bell) in UK currently is G-AVII that has been with Bristow from new since 10-03-1967.
G-AVII on G-INFO
Oldest flying Bell JetRanger is G-GAND which is ex Bristow (G-AWMK) a 1968 machine.
My shot of G-GAND on G-INFO
Highest time 206 in UK is G-BXKL with more than 23,000 hours. It looks as fresh as new.
My shot of G-BXKL taken in 2004
Last edited by Heliport; 1st Feb 2006 at 06:22.
How many Bell 206's including L's and Agusta built machiines have been manufactured since 1967? Were any manufactured at other than the US, Canadian and Italian facilities?
I fly and operate a 1970 Agusta Bell 206B (an A model converted to BII), SN 8190 registration TF-HHK, ex D-HAUF, ex OE-BXN.
Great aircraft and like someone said itīs still proof that someone can look sexy at 40. As a matter of fact I myself turned 40 on jan 2.
Happy birthday JetRanger.
I used to take great delight in hurtling up behind Army or Marine Bell 47's in SW England and overtaking them whilst in the flare.
My JetRanger would cruise at 117 to 118 knots on the low skids at 80-81% Q, now with the high skids 110 kts is the norm.
That´s a pretty good speed for this old helicopter.
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I flew s/n 1095 a 1973 BIII in the late 90's. It was a tour machine in Hawaii. The first flight I took in it was a checkout with the owner and at the time it was over 18,000 hours. All of them flown by one man, the owner. He bought it new. I thought it a great privilege. It was a great ride. It had over 22,000 when they put it out to pasture. Actually into a barn. Does anyone know the highest time Jet Ranger, flying or not?
We once had C-FRBR a 206 which was the 7th jetranger built.
Anyone remember the old 206 A converted to B.?
Great A/C low APSW - you could sling 1000 Lbs+ easy.
The A with the C-18 were very " Limited " in the summer.
Best of times! You learned to be as smooth as possible on the controls.
Anyone remember the old 206 A converted to B.?
Great A/C low APSW - you could sling 1000 Lbs+ easy.
The A with the C-18 were very " Limited " in the summer.
Best of times! You learned to be as smooth as possible on the controls.
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N4706r
PPRune fan#1
I totally agree with your sentiments on the machine it was "where it was at" in the latter part of the 60s and they still look good today.
Doublecheck the handwriting on the back of that photo of the 206A your Dad flew I think it was this machine N4706R s/n 256. This pic was taken the same time as the other colour one I posted, Blackbushe UK Sept '68. I detect a whiff of marketing spin on the declared figures on the billboard!
Sadly it's listed as written off from the Belgian register
OO-WTC Bell 206A Jet Ranger > 206B Jet Ranger II 256 N4706R,OO-WTC,F-BSTQ,HB-XNO . . . . ŧ [w/o]
Cheers
W
I totally agree with your sentiments on the machine it was "where it was at" in the latter part of the 60s and they still look good today.
Doublecheck the handwriting on the back of that photo of the 206A your Dad flew I think it was this machine N4706R s/n 256. This pic was taken the same time as the other colour one I posted, Blackbushe UK Sept '68. I detect a whiff of marketing spin on the declared figures on the billboard!
Sadly it's listed as written off from the Belgian register
OO-WTC Bell 206A Jet Ranger > 206B Jet Ranger II 256 N4706R,OO-WTC,F-BSTQ,HB-XNO . . . . ŧ [w/o]
Cheers
W
N8533f
Papillon in the Grand Canyon had jetranger s/n 006 when I was there 10 years ago. I don't know who originally owned it. It's probably still there. Good ole copter 3. It was an "A" converted to a BIII, with the updated panel and all. The only thing it retained was the boosted pedals.
It made for an excellent sling aircraft, because it was very light and had great tail rotor authority.
It made for an excellent sling aircraft, because it was very light and had great tail rotor authority.
Last edited by inthegreen; 29th Jan 2006 at 19:49. Reason: error