The Agusta-Bell AB.206B JetRanger II is a 5-seat light utility helicopter powered by a single Rolls Royce Allison 250-C20
turbine engine. In 1961, Bell developed Model 206 as the OH-4A to meet the U.S.Army requirements. The OH-4A flew
first on 8 December 1962. However the Bell OH-4A didn't win the competition, the helicopter was a
success as the Bell 206 Jet Ranger. The prototype of this five-seat commercial model, the Bell 206A
JetRanger N8590F, flew on 10 January 1966. Bell received FAA certification for the helicopter on
20 October 1966, and deliveries of the Model 206A powered by a 317 shp Allison C18A engine, started
in January 1967. In the early 1970s production switched to the Model 206B JetRanger II with a 400 shp
250-C20 turboshaft. The Model 206 was built under license by Agusta in Italy as the AB.206 Jet Ranger.
More than 4800 206Bs and 1700 206Ls have been produced since the introduction of the 206A JetRanger on 13 January 1967, when the first
two production aircraft were delivered to customers. Since then, Bell has delivered five different generations of the commercial 206 with its
206A/B JetRangers and 206L/L1/L3/L4 LongRangers. Production of the Bell 206B3 JetRanger ended in 2011; production of the Bell 206L4
LongRanger IV ended in June 2017. At the end, the Bell 206 aircraft were produced at Bell Helicopter's facility
in Mirabel, Canada. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Bell 206B helicopters is B06. |
In July 1984, the 1984-built Agusta-Bell 206B Jet Ranger III s/n 8654 was registered D-HAFY
in Germany with Wiking Helikopter Service GmbH as an AB-206B Jet Ranger II.
The aircraft was upgraded to an AB-206B Jet Ranger III and is operated by Agrarflug Helilift GmbH
& Co. KG, Ahlen, since 1996. On 18 July 2008, AB-206B Jet Ranger III D-HAFY was
seen at Flugplatz Leer-Papenburg (EDWF) in the "Tiger" livery that it received in April 2005. |