The Bell 206L-1 LongRanger is a 7-seat light utility helicopter powered by a single Rolls Royce Allison 250-C20B
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 JetRanger. 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. In September 1973, the development of the LongRanger, a stretched JetRanger was announced.
The 206L LongRanger flew first on 11 September 1974 and production started early 1975. The Model 206L1
LongRanger II was introduced in 1978. 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, 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 with Wake Category used to classify aircraft types for
the Bell 206L helicopters is B06.
The EMS helicopter in Evansville in Indiana, USA is based at St.Mary's Riverside campus
and operated as 'St.Mary's LifeFlight', known before as 'Life Flight of the Welborn
Baptist Hospital'. In 1999, 'Life Flight of the Welborn Baptist Hospital' was renamed after St.Mary's purchased the Welborn Baptist
Hospital. When seen at the airport of Evansville on 28 January 1993, Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger N5751N "LifeFlight/WELBORN Baptist Hospital"
was an example for the EMS helicopters used the USA in the nineties. On 1 October 1980, Bell 206L-1 Long Ranger s/n 45522 was registered N5751M
in the USA. When seen at the airport of Evansville, LongRanger N5751M was owned by Air Methods - Air Medical Services Division. Today,
the 1980-built helicopter is registered with Airmd LLC, Wichita, KS.