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The Bell 206L 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. |
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The 1977-built Bell 206L LongRanger s/n 45103 was flown first on 31 May 1977 and operated as N16773 by Crescent Airways in Pembroke,
Florida, USA. Swedish Rentaco AB purchased the helicopter in mid-1987 and registration N45103 was cancelled on 5 May 1987. On 17 July 1987,
the LongRanger was registered in Sweden as SE-HSA and entered service with Helicopter Assistance AB.
The company operated it three years before it was sold to Helicopter Arrangemang Bell HB. In March
1994, the helicopter was exported to Heli-Holland Holding BV. On 29 March 1994, the LongRanger arrived as SE-HSA
at the Heli-Holland heliport near Emmen in the Netherlands. After registration PH-HXH was reserved for this Bell Helicopter Textron 206L Long Ranger on 12 January 1994,
it was registered as PH-HXH with Heli-Holland Holding BV, Emmer-Compascuum, on 14 April 1994. LongRanger PH-HXH was operated by Heli-Holland until
April 2007. On 4 May 2007, registration PH-HXH was cancelled as exported to Canada. The same day, the LongRanger
was registered C-GMQH with Quantum Helicopters Ltd., Terrace, British Colombia. On 16 May 2011, after the CofA expired, registration C-GMQH was
cancelled. On 13 June 2011, the C-GMQH was restored to the register with Quantum Helicopters.
On 4 August 2016, Bell 206L LongRanger C-GMQH was registered with Lakehead Helicopters Inc., Chase, British Colombia. On 7 September 2017,
the C-GMQH was returned to and registered again with Quantum Helicopters. On 8 August 2020, registration C-GMQH was cancelled and the helicopter is
offered for sale. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
