Bell 222B & U
 

I've been flying an EMS 222 in California for the past few years. It has some nice features, such as speed, relative comfort and great for IFR, but performance cannot be included in that list, even with the -750 engines.

Due to the weights of myself and my crews and all the junk we carry, I can hardly conceive a mission where we would be much less than 8,000 lbs, and at that weight, we are limited to about 7 or 8,000 ft da. Right now in the winter, that's fine. Some of our mountain airports/helipads are at 6,500 ft. With summer temps, it is not uncommon to reach 9 or 10,000 ft da. Not as high as blender, but still too high. There's no getting in or out of a tight spot with that. Scene responses on the mountain are definately out. It's a shallow approach to a runway with ground effect or nothing at all.

Did I mention IFR ?, it's a great IFR aircraft.

I´m surprised that the aircraft would be so much different at hot & high as everyone here say´s?

I have no experience in the B-222 in hot environments, but in the colder climates where I fly it certainly has plenty of power. I have done sling loads at max weight day in and day out with no problem whatsoever, I was actually impressed with all the spare power the aircraft has, I would rarely pull more than 80% Q and 90% was absolutely the most required if the aircraft was not overloaded. (remember max continious is 95%!).

Actually 80% Q was the figure used all day for normal work. You would lift off in hover and have 80%, the climb was at 80% / 80 Kts, cruise at 80% / 125 kts and descend at about 80% (65-70 maybe) / 150 kts Vne.

Now I have newer flown the -650 engines but I can imagine that there is a big difference between them and the bigger engines on the U & B models.

Ohh did someone mention IFR... Great IFR machine ; )

OK, so the 222UT seems to be the one to use - if at all. We did have the B and the UT but, as I said, never in H&H conditions. They all found their way into the Arctic.
Could anyone provide the relevant (HOGE) manual page ? :confused:
Cheers :O

I've got the HOGE graph in pdf or jpg, but can't recall how to post it here. Looking at it, HOGE at 10,000' and 10 degrees C (ISA+15), is 6900 lbs. At 10,000 and 0 deg (ISA+5) HOGE is 7300. GW external for a 222 UT is 8400lbs.

I read in some maintenance magazine yesterday that Lycoming is providing a conversion to -850 engines!

I don´t know if that´s available for the 222, but if it is it would be something for you hot weather operators.

From what I read in the article the LTS101´s are pretty cheap to run.

May be worth talking with the Airmeathods program at AIRCARE in Farmington NM. Thye have been using a 222ut EMS for many years. Farmington is 600+pa with da's of 10k in the sumer. They operate in Southern Colorado and N NM in some very high (14k pa) and hot country. I know they recently looked at the 407, and 902 and it coulndt do what they wanted in the summer.
They have a long track record of operating that machine in that enviorment.

rb

Thanks for all the answers chaps!
It did help me a lot. I am now searching for the relevant flight manual page.
I really would appreciate any further input you might have.
Cheers

222 Main Rotor Blade
 

Hello boys and girls,
Just wondering if anyone would know of any part life 222 mainrotor blades are for sale. Part #222-015-600-105/107/111. TT4000-5000 preferred but beggers cant be choosers.

Hi,
Try emailing [email protected] He may have some.

Bell 222A thru to B430 lineage Q
 

Done a search for this already, and there is lots of good info out there, but I was wondering if any Bell 222/430 gurus could give me a quick heads up on the various models.

First there was the Bell 222 A.

What did they change to make the 222 B?

Then what did they change to make the 222 UT?

Then the 222 SP?

Then the 230?

Then the 430?

Is this the right progression? Can any 222, 230, 430 be retro fitted with skids as an STC or did it have to come from the factory like that?
Can the 222 A be made into a B or UT?
Can the 222 B or UT be made into an SP?
Does the SP and 230 really outperform the 222B and UT?
Can a 222 be made into a 230?

For interest only! Sexy jets, and I have always wanted to fly one.

Okay, I'll bite:

222 – Introduced in 1980, Lycoming LTS101-650C-2/C-3 donks. Later referred to unofficially as the 222A
222B – Introduced in 1980, uprated LTS101-750C-1 donks, M/R diameter increased by 2¼ ft
222UT – Introduced in 1983, variant of 222B with skid-gear and increased fuel capacity (~60 gal, as a result of the elimination of the retractable gear, a benefit shared with the 230UT and 430UT)
222SP – Introduced in 1988, a handful of Allison 250-C30G conversions undertaken by Heli-Air
230 – Introduced in 1992, development of 230 with 250-C30Gs, liquid inertia vibration elimination (LIVE) system, new high-inertia rotor blades, optional EAPS, simplified electronic systems, and dual hydraulic/electrical/fuel systems; offered with retractable gear or skids (230UT)
430 – Introduced in 1996, featured the four-blade model 680 rotor system, stretched fuselage and Allison 250-C40s; offered with retractable gear or skids (430UT)

The 222SP and 230 were reported to be 5 kts quicker than the 222B in the cruise, with the skid-equipped UT models losing 5-10 kts.

Though most of the 222SP conversions were the underpowered A models, AFAIK at least one EMS aircraft still flying was a 222B conversion.

I believe that the skid conversions were factory-options only, but can’t give you a definitive answer on that.

I/C

I've put what I know in your text below:
First there was the Bell 222 A.
What did they change to make the 222 B?
The difference between the A and B is the engine and electrical. The B model has the LTS-101-750 vice the A's -650 engine. There was also some changes to the electrical bus.
Then what did they change to make the 222 UT?
The 222UT removes the wheeled landing gear and replaces it with skids. There is also changes made to the electrical system and I also believe this model can fly SPIFR without a SAS system. It also comes standard with the utility interior.
Then the 222 SP?
The 222SP is an A model that has the LST-101 engine removed and replaced with an RR/Allison 250-C30 engine installed. This was done by a third party outside of Bell under an STC
Then the 230?
The 230 is Bell's answer to replacing the LTS-101 with the RR/Allison C30
Then the 430?
Bell added the 4 bladed rotor and more electrical improvements and I think the cabin has a slight stretch.
Is this the right progression? Can any 222, 230, 430 be retro fitted with skids
as an STC or did it have to come from the factory like that?
There may be a way to change from wheeled to skids but most come from the facory that way. I think the cost to do so would be too high though.
Can the 222 A be made into a B or UT?
No, why would you?
Can the 222 B or UT be made into an SP?
Yes, reference STC SH7853SW
Does the SP and 230 really outperform the 222B and UT?
Can a 222 be made into a 230?
No, but you can put the 230's engine in the 222

222UT Electrics
 

The 222UT has a totally DC electrical system wheras the A/B have AC and DC systems, makes the UT a much simpler system.
UTs have more fuel load, bigger wing tanks due to no landing gear in there.
The 430 is a stretched 222, has a plug of about 18 inches, not a great deal has changed in the airframe department, mainly electrics and avionics.
430 has IIDS and EFIS and autopilot as standard so lots of telly screens to look at, but there are 3x 430s that came out with standard flight instruments, no autopilot in these ones only scas and basic attitude hold.
(autopilot interfaces with the EFIS).
222 seats pilot and 9 Pax, 430 seats the same but with a tiny bit more room or there is an option for 10 pax config on the 430.
The 222 flies very much like a big longranger but the 430 is something totally different, No vibration at all from take off and even through translation amazingly smooth (due to the LIVE mounts on the transmission). Feels more like a jet than a helicopter.

Hope that helps a bit Helmet fire.
:ok:

Thanks heaps guys, thats fantastic.

Three last ones: Does the SP and 230 really outperform the 222B and UT?
and
Is the LIVE system fitted to both the 230 and the 430?
and
How many 230 UT were there? I have only ever seen wheeled 230s.

At present there appears to be the following numbers of 222/230's on the worldwide civil registers;

222 - 46
222A - 7
222B - 23
222U - 3
222UT - 50
230 - 24
430 - 82

Therefore no 230UT's

So, I ask what is 222U?

Why was the 430 not that succesful ? , is it a competitor to the S76 , EC155 .
What is the range of a std 430 ?.

I guess the fuselage jigs all left Fleet last year bound for China.

Closest is the 365N3 as far as I can see

You're quite right, we overlooked the 222UT.

Some skid-equipped examples:

222
http://www.saintalphonsus.org/images/bell222_b.jpg
Saint Alphonsus Life Flight

http://alecbuck.com/airambulance/med...59dd4496ef.jpg
Methodist Hospital CareFlite


222SP
http://www.helispot.com/images/00900.jpg
Mercy Air


230
http://alecbuck.com/airambulance/med...f370efda34.jpg
Life Flight Network

http://alecbuck.com/airambulance/med...cb9175c622.jpg
Palmetto Health Richland

I/C

430 pic
 

http://www.avta.com.au/images/Galler...rHeartReef.jpg

http://www.avta.com.au/images/Galler...ys/avta067.jpg

THAT'S THE SHOT!

That is the shot ol' fella!!!