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A helicopter service is really nothing else but an airborne taxi service. For this function, the Jet Ranger is the perfect vehicle: it is versatile, it is powerful enough and - in the eyes of many customers - it also looks good. From the aviator’s point of view, controlling a multi-bladed helicopter, such as the Hughes 500 and the Alouette II, is more precise and direct and a little more ‘fun’ to fly.
I won’t argue those points, however, because I had some wonderful experiences flying this ‘air taxi.’
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JetRangerII |
JetRangerI II |
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300kW (400shp) |
315kW (420shp) |
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Max speed 219km/h (118kt), Range 702km (379nm) |
Max speed 225km/h (122kt), Range 732km (385nm) |
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Empty 660kg (1455lb), max takeoff 1360kg |
Empty 737kg (1635lb), max takeoff 1451kg |
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rotor 10.16m (33ft 4in), length 9.50m (31ft 2in), height 2.91m (9ft 7in). | |
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Pilot and 4 passengers. | |
Bell 206 Jet Ranger - the civilian workhorse
The Bell 206 Jet Ranger made its first flight in 1962 and had since become the definitive light utility and corporate helicopter of the past three decades.
Several countries also accepted the 206 into their military forces as observation and reconnaissance helicopter, where it was named the Kiowa and coded as OH58.
- Role: Multipurpose Utility helicopter
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter Textron
- First flight: 8 December 1962 (206)[1]
- 10 January 1966 (206A)[2]
- Introduced: 1967
- Status: Active service
- Primary user: CHC Helicopter
- Number built: 7,300[3]
- Unit cost: $700,000[3]
- Developed; from Bell YOH-4
- Variants: OH-58 Kiowa
- Panha Shabaviz 2061
- Developed into: Bell 407