Bell 412
- For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey
| Bell 412 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Norwegian Bell 412SP helicopters taking part in the NATO exercise Strong Resolve 2002 | |
| Role | Multipurpose Utility helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Bell Helicopter |
| Introduced | 1981 |
| Primary users | Canadian Forces Royal Air Force See Operators for others |
| Number built | over 869 |
| Developed from | Bell 212 |
| Variants | CH-146 Griffon |
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.
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Design and development
Development began in the late 1970s with two Bell 212 being converted into 412 prototypes. An advanced four blade main rotor with a smaller diameter replaced the 212's two blade rotor. A Bell 412 prototype first flew in August 1979. The initial model was certified in January 1981 with the deliveries commencing in the same month.[1]
The 412 model was followed by the 412SP (Special Performance) version featuring larger fuel capacity, higher takeoff weight and optional seating arrangements. In 1991, the 412HP (High Performance) variant with improved transmission replaced the SP version in production.[1] The current production version, 412EP (Enhanced Performance), is equipped with a dual digital automatic flight control system.
Over 700 Model 412s (including 260 by AgustaWestland) have been built.[2]
Variants
- Bell 412
- Utility transport helicopter.
- Bell 412EP
- Enhanced performance version.
- Bell 412HP
- High performance version.
- Bell 412SP
- Special performance version.
- Military 412
- Armed military version.
- CH-146 Griffon
- Utility transport helicopter for the Canadian Forces.
- Bell Griffin HT1
- Advanced training helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by the RAF since 1997 as an advanced flying trainer. Operated by the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury and the Search and Rescue Training Unit at RAF Valley.
- Bell Griffin HAR2
- Search and Rescue helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by 84 Squadron RAF since 2003 at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
- Agusta-Bell AB 412
- Civil utility transport version, built under license in Italy by Agusta.[3]
- Agusta-Bell AB 412EP
- Italian-built version of the Bell 412EP.[3]
- Agusta-Bell AB 412 Grifone
- Military utility transport version, built under licence in Italy by Agusta.[3]
- Agusta-Bell AB 412 CRESO
- Italian-built version, fitted with a ground surveillance radar.
- NBell 412
- IPTN's licensed product of Bell 412[3]
Operators
Military operators
- see CH-146 Griffon
- Jamaica Defence Force
- Indonesian Air Force
- Indonesian Army
- Indonesian Navy
- Royal Netherlands Air Force
- Royal Norwegian Air Force
- Norwegian Army
- Philippine Air Force
- Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence
- Republic of Korea Air Force: First introduction Time : March, 1982.
- Swedish Army
- Royal Thai Air Force
- Air Force of Zimbabwe
Civilian and government operators
- Motor Accident Commission (MAC) Rescue Helicopters/MedSTAR Emergency Medical Retrievals (South Australia)
- Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Service (New South Wales) Two Bell 412 aircraft operate out of the Newcastle base.
- Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia
- Ambulance Victoria - Air Ambulance has 4 of the type in service based around the state.
- Emergency Management Queensland, an agency of the Queensland Department of Community Safety which operates, amongst other things, the Queensland Government helicopter rescue service.[4]
- Lider Taxi Aereo, serving the Brazil offshore petroleum industry
- Brazilian Federal Police
- Sûreté du Québec
- Government of Antioquia Department
- Police of the Czech Republic
- Petroleum Air Services
- Finnish Border Guard has 5 AB 412s in service.[5]
- Atlantic Airways
- Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
- GAIL
- Global Vectra Helicorp
- Iranian helicopter service company (IHSC)
- Japan Coast Guard
- Gulf Helicopters
- Rent Helicopters-Transylvania Live
- Slovenian Police
- Bristow Caribbean Operations (Bristow Group), serving the offshore oil/gas industry
Turkey
- Turkish Coast Guard
United Arab Emirates
- Falcon Aviation Services
- Abu Dhabi Aviation
- Department of Energy
- United States Park Police
- Delaware State Police
- Los Angeles City Fire Department
- Los Angeles County Fire Department
- New York City Police Department
- Puerto Rico Police Department
- Miami-Dade County Fire Department
- Blackwater USA (private military and security company)
- Chicago Fire Department
- San Diego Fire Department
- Orange County Fire Authority
Incidents and accidents
- February 6, 2008, a Bell 412 crashed due to a malfunction, killing Major General Javed Sultan, the commanding officer for Kohat garrison, along with two brigadiers and five other military personnel in South Waziristan Agency, Pakistan.[6]
- April 7, 2009, a Bell 412EP presidential helicopter operated by the Philippine Air Force crashed in bad weather on the slopes of Mount Pulag in Tinoc, Ifugao on a flight from Loakan Airport to Lagawe. All eight on board the helicopter died including four key aides of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.[7][8]
Specifications (412EP)
Data from International Directory of Civil Aircraft,[9] Bell 412EP Product Specifications[10]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1-2 pilots
- Capacity: up to 13 passengers, maximum external load of 4,500 lb (2,040 kg)
- Length: 56 ft 1 in (17.1 m)
- Rotor diameter: 46 ft (14.0 m)
- Height: 15 ft (4.6 m)
- Disc area: 1,662 ft² (154.4 m²)
- Empty weight: 6,789 lb (3,079 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 11,900 lb (5,397 kg)
- Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3BE Twin-Pac turboshafts, 900 shp (671 kW) each
- Fuselage length: 43 ft (13.1 m)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 140 knots (161 mph, 259 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 122 knots (140 mph, 226 km/h)
- Range: 402 nmi (463 mi, 745 km)
- Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.86 m/s)
- Power/mass: 0.2663 hp/lb (437 W/kg)
See also
Related development
- CH-146 Griffon
- Bell 212
- Bell 214
- UH-1 Iroquois
- UH-1N Twin Huey
- UH-1Y Venom
Related lists
- List of civil aircraft
- List of active United Kingdom military aircraft
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bell 412 on Airliners.net
- ↑ Bell/Agusta Bell 412 – Medium Transport Helicopter, USA/Italy, Aerospace-Technology.com
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Model 212 Twin Huey: USN-USMC UH-1N / Model 412, Vectorsite.net, 1 December 2007.
- ↑ http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/aviation/aircraft/
- ↑ http://www.raja.fi/rvl/home.nsf/pages/F8B5A9C8E896F3D1C2257360002350B8?opendocument
- ↑ "Kohat GOC, six other officers die in copter crash: Technical fault caused accident: ISPR". Dawn, 7 February 2008
- ↑ Missing govt chopper supposed to return due to bad weather
- ↑ No survivors in chopper crash
- ↑ Frawley, Gerald. The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003/2004, p. 45. Aerospace Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
- ↑ Bell 412EP Product Specifications. Bell Helicopter, January 2006.
External links
- Bell 412 page
- Bell 412 page and Bell 412 photos on airliners.net
- Bell / Agusta 412 page on aerospace-technology.com
- "Bahrain Requests 6 Bell 412", DefenseIndustryDaily.com
- US donated two Bell 412 EP helicopters to Pakistan
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