May 1, 2003

Product Profile: Bell 206: Still Ringing True

Despite stiff competition from European competitors, many operators still consider the 206 series the standard for light turbine helicopters.

by Ron and Shannon Bower

MANY AIRCRAFT DESIGNS come and go, but sometimes, the manufacturers get it right. Those who do enjoy product longevity that sometimes lasts half a century. The C-130 Hercules, the F-4 Phantom, and previously, the C-47/DC-3, are some well-known fixed-wing examples.

In the helicopter world, Bell Helicopter’s UH-1 Iroquois, later nicknamed Huey, and its many civilian variants are ubiquitous in military units around the globe. In the commercial market segment, Bell’s 206 series, which includes all JetRangers and LongRangers, is the most recognized, most successful, and long-lived helicopter type in its class.

Bell 206s have been produced continuously since 1967. That’s 36 years and still counting. Excluding the military derivatives (TH-57/67 and OH-58 Kiowa series), more than 4,500 civilian JetRangers were produced, making it the most popular civil helicopters in the world.

The JetRanger’s stretched derivative, the Bell 206 LongRanger, adds more than 1,650 more helicopters to the 206 family. These helicopters are still in production by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada at its manufacturing facility in Mirabel, Quebec.

On the never-ending quest among pilots and owners to move up in helicopter capabilities, this article’s historical and market view of the Bell 206 series should answer some general questions for many potential turbine helicopter buyers.

As in any market segment, there are more buyers at lower prices (R22s) than at higher prices (S-76s) in the buying pyramid. Likewise, there are many more potential used JetRanger buyers, at $300,000 to $600,000, than new JetRanger buyers, at about $1 million per aircraft.

In 2002, we tracked only nine registered new civil Bell 206B JetRanger sales (S/Ns 4558-4566) versus 173 used JetRanger sales.

Some newer models are now faster. Many make use of composites, are quieter and have smoother rides, not to mention whiz-bang digital electronic displays. But for many pilots and mechanics, the easy, soft-glove fit of the Bell 206 is still the industry standard.

Bell’s high-tech answer in the modern competitive light helicopter market is the Bell 407. While the 407 is on the same FAA type certificate (H2SW) as the JetRanger and LongRanger, most pilots, mechanics, and operators (including us) don’t view it as a 206.

The hallmarks of the Bell 206 are safety, reliability, and predictability. Also, from an owner/operator standpoint, the sustained high resale value of a JetRanger or LongRanger protects the owner’s investment. Premature changing of parts is extremely rare; if it occurs, it’s usually due to some abuse or error. It is common for the 206 to go all the way to its 100-hour inspection without unscheduled maintenance.

The powerplants for the Bell 206s are Rolls-Royce Model 250 series engines. Allison produced 28,500 Model 250 engines, which together have accumulated more than 160 million flight hours.

This is why the JetRanger was selected for the 1994 around-the-world speed record flight. The well-equipped JetRanger flew for 229 hours in 24 days without a single maintenance squawk. This flight included two ocean crossings without emergency pop-out flotation gear in Arctic waters. All this in an overhauled 1975 Allison 250-C20J engine.

For many piston-trained pilot/owners who want to move up to larger, turbine helicopters, a used JetRanger is often a natural choice—a stepping stone to larger and more sophisticated (another word for "expensive") helicopters, a little farther down the flight experience path.

The common saying is that, "If you can fly a piston helicopter, you can fly a JetRanger." The JetRanger is more forgiving, and most think it’s easier to fly than a piston-powered helicopter.

Bell offers frequent five-day transition courses for new Bell 206 pilots at its Fort Worth Training Academy. The syllabus includes ground, flight, and time in a flight training device (FTD). Maintenance training courses also are available.

The present problem of exorbitant helicopter insurance premiums has dissuaded many operators from buying new helicopters. There is a noticeable trend, now, for many JetRanger owners to carry only liability coverage, then self-insure the hulls of used Bell 206s.

A long and proud heritage

Like most aircraft, the Bell 206 got its start based on military need. In the early 1960s, the U.S. Army wanted a Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) to replace the OH-13 (Bell 47) and OH-23 (Hiller UH-12). In 1962, Bell built and bid the YOH-4, but lost this first round to the Hughes OH-6.

After the YOH-4 development effort and the simultaneous success of the Bell UH-1 "Huey" utility helicopter, Bell first started producing the civil YOH-4 derivative, the Bell 206A JetRanger, which was certified in late 1966 and carried a base price of $89,500.

In 1968, the Army re-opened competition for a second Light Observation Helicopter. The 206A won, and was designated the OH-58 Kiowa. More than 2,200 OH-58s were produced for the Army.

Bell’s experience in producing and supporting several thousand military helicopters during the Vietnam era positioned them well for the end of hostilities and the development of the civil turbine helicopter market in the 1970s and early 1980s. They had an experienced cadre of support specialists and a well-proven design and production capability that set the stage for a legacy of customer-pleasing aircraft and service.

Even better, thousands of Army-trained pilots and mechanics who were now working in the commercial helicopter industry already were knowledgeable about and comfortable with the JetRanger.

However, the Bell 206A suffered from the common ills of most A-model aircraft—it needed more power and a higher max gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) than its initial 3,000 pounds. Its engine was the Allison 250-C18, which could produce a maximum of 317 shaft horsepower for takeoff and hover, which was also (and still is) the transmission shaft horsepower limit on a 206B JetRanger. The maximum cruise power was 270 shp, which still holds in the current 2003 model.

When you use all the available engine horsepower in any aircraft, you usually sacrifice engine life. This was the case with the C18, where the overhaul interval of the engine was only 1,250 hours TBO. Also, you usually find yourself TOT temperature limited before being torque limited in any warm weather or high-altitude situation, so you can’t use all the designed shaft horsepower for flight performance. Your only choice is to reduce weight.

From 1967 to 1971, Bell produced 750 civil 206As. By 1971, the new base price had jumped to $112,550.

In 1971, the Bell 206 JetRanger was upgraded to a B-model with a more powerful Allison 250-C20 engine and a 200-pound increase in the MGTOW, to 3,200 pounds. The airframe and rotor system stayed basically the same, but the instrument panel was changed from a T-panel to a rectangular shape, similar to the one still in production.

The marketplace welcomed the B-model engine fix, which had cooler TOT temperatures and a 3,500-hour TBO—nearly a 300% life improvement on the most expensive item in the helicopter.

From 1972 to mid-1977, Bell produced more than 1,500 206Bs. The "straight B" had a minor upgrade to a B-2 variant in 1976. From 1972 to 1977, the new base price went from $125,000 to $185,000.

The earlier 206As could upgrade their engines from a C-18 to the C-20, thus being commonly renamed the 206A/B. The A-model then would have the same performance as a B-model and dodged the frequent engine overhaul bullet.

Of course, everyone wants more power. The output of the C20 engine still was not what operators wanted, particularly in high/hot conditions. So, in mid-1977, Bell introduced the 206B-3 with the Allison 250-C20B and added two inches in tail rotor diameter for more tail rotor authority. Now, the engine had the ability to produce 420 shp, but the transmission limit of 317 shp stayed constant.

This improvement meant that at 100% torque, the engine was only using 75% of its capacity for takeoff. Cruise power was still limited at 85% torque, so at max cruise power the 206B-3 is leisurely pulling only 64% of max engine shaft horsepower. That is why the C20B typically makes its 3,500-hour overhaul schedule.

When Bell made the change from the C20 to the C20B and added the bigger tail rotor, earlier Bs also benefited from the improved performance. Their designation is commonly 206B-2/B-3. To be a factory-new 206 B-3, the serial number must be 2212 or higher.

In 1982, starting with S/N 3567, minor changes were made to the B-3. The fuel tank capacity was increased from 76 gallons to the present 91 gallons, eliminating the need for Range Extenders, which were on nearly all the models of the previous 15 years. The 1982 model also had more comfortable seats, better door latching, and wedge windows.

The engine had a trivial change for supposed noise reduction and was designated the C20J. An improved rotor head reached the market in mid-1981. Another change that took place in 1981 was an FAA requirement for shoulder harnesses. Bell poorly designed a crew headrest and inertia reel shoulder harness that blocked the view of rear passengers, killing the JetRanger as a flightseeing aircraft.

The Bell 206B-3 JetRanger is still the current production model. Since it began production in 1977, the B-3 has developed a track record of more than a quarter-century. In all that time, it has had the same performance specs, and its reliability is well proven.

Bell is now delivering new JetRangers in the S/N 4570s. About 2,360 206B-3s have been built. That means Bell produced new 206B-3 JetRangers about once every three factory work days, on a 26-year average.

Unfortunately, that 26-year statistical average belies the actual yearly distribution. Nearly 60% (1,355 units) of the B-3 JetRangers were built from 1977 to 1981—the hey-day years in the oil patch. In 1981, Bell reached the high-water mark for production, at 349 units. The demise of oil exploration and an 18% prime interest rate in 1982 took its toll on sales.

Bell couldn’t stop the production flow quickly enough, so unsold 1982 and 1983 model year JetRangers filled many hangars in and around DFW. In the mid-1980s, Bell moved JetRanger production to Mirabel, Quebec.

From 1984 to 1988, fewer than 20 civil JetRangers were produced each year as excess used aircraft inventories were being emptied. Many of those new JetRangers went to government operators, who usually bought new helicopters and were less sensitive to used helicopter values.

Only about 1,000 JetRangers have been manufactured in the 21 years since 1982—about equal to the combined highest three years of production in 1979-81. The airframe of a 1982 JetRanger and a 2003 JetRanger are the same, rivet for rivet.

The base price of a 206B JetRanger steadily rose from $185,000 in 1977 to its 2003 base of $850,000. A typically outfitted 2003 206B-3 JetRanger now clears the Bell factory hangar door at about $1 million.

A good sign for all JetRanger owners is that, since 1993, the U.S. Army bought 200 off-the-shelf JetRangers (called 206B/TH-67s) for primary helicopter training of Army pilots. That was the year Bell won the New Training Helicopter (NTH) competition. The Army bought the most recent batch of 15 units in 2002. Bell’s obligation to support these uniquely N-numbered, but military-owned JetRangers will likely last for many more years.

The U.S. Navy flight program, which includes the Coast Guard and Marine Corps, trains with another 206 derivative, the TH-57. The service justified buying JetRangers for instrument training by taking into consideration what they saved on fuel. The JetRanger burns 25 to 27 gallons per hour. That much is used on priming a CH-53 for starting. Several other foreign militaries also use JetRangers.

Competition from abroad

In the same general price range, the JetRanger’s primary competitor is the Eurocopter EC-120 Colibri, introduced in 1998. It offers newer technologies, a smoother three-blade ride at a slightly faster speed, a safer and quieter fenestron for anti-torque, and a more spacious cockpit and cabin, with excellent visibility for all five passengers. Worldwide, the EC-120 has outsold the JetRanger by a ratio of three to one since 1998.

During the late ’90s, Bell management stated that the company’s profit margin on JetRangers was too low, and began to increase emphasis on the higher-priced Bell 407.

Other corporate distractions seemed to siphon interest and resources from the entry-level JetRanger. Since 2001, there has been some discussion about a follow-on JetRanger product known as the JRX.

Bell conducted various surveys with operators, hoping to find the right design features. But, in these difficult industry times, it is doubtful that a new design can be brought to the market in the near term. Designing a new helicopter to meet operators’ requirements for enhanced performance at a price and profit margin that also would meet with stockholder approval is a daunting task for entry-level turbines.

The high-inertia, two-bladed rotor system of the 206 makes for optimal and forgiving rotor RPM during autorotation. The low-pressure hydraulic system makes the rare hydraulic failure easily manageable. It is a simple aircraft to start and fly.

A JetRanger cruises at about 100 knots and has a VNE of 130 knots (only attainable in a power dive).

There are about 50 life-limited retirement and overhauls components on a Bell 206. Much of the value of a used helicopter is based on its residual component value and the condition of those components. Zero-timing a JetRanger would cost more than $300,000.

It is easy to make a $75,000 or 100,000 mistake in buying a JetRanger. Damage history, previous locations and owners, optional equipment, and the helicopter’s use history are all factors that can be used to calculate the final determination of market value.

The other 206: LongRanger

The LongRanger family is also a JetRanger derivative, and shares many of the same well-proven characteristics. Most flight and emergency procedures are the same or similar. But starting a LongRanger is a bit different in one respect: The pilot must modulate the throttle to control TOT during the start cycle.

Stretching the cabin is a common manufacturer solution to the need for more capacity. Usually, a tracked jig is used for vertically slicing the airframe, then sliding the two pieces apart on the tracks to insert a fuselage plug.

Subsequently, the plug will be incorporated into the early workstations in the production line. You can still see the vertical plug rivets for the 18-inch insert behind the forward doors, abeam of the aft facing seats, in any Long Ranger.

The usual driving force for stretching an airframe is a larger cabin for more passenger seats. A larger cabin means more people or cargo, and the corresponding increase in max gross weight limits (MGW).

This leads to other requirements: longer blades for increased lift; longer tailbooms so the blades miss the fin; and a greater arm for anti-torque. After that, the helicopter needs a more powerful engine, and a stronger transmission.

A rub usually comes in fuel tanks, since the bigger engines use more fuel, so either new tanks have to be developed and inserted, or the stretched aircraft’s range and endurance will decrease.

In the LongRangers, interconnected tanks were installed under the aft-facing seats. This added about 20 gallons. LongRanger L-3s typically burn about 35 gallons per hour, and the L-4s burn 37-39 gph. They both cruise about 110 knots, so even with the LongRanger’s extra 20 gallons of fuel, you still can go 40 nautical miles farther in the more economical JetRanger than in a LongRanger L-3.

Any JetRanger pilot who flies a LongRanger really likes the extra power. The LongRanger flies more smoothly than a JetRanger, due to an improved method of mounting the transmission to the cabin roof.

In the JetRanger, the transmission is hard mounted directly to the roof; thus, any rotor vibrations are transmitted to the airframe. The LongRangers have a nodal-beam absorption system that works like a shock absorber, dampening airframe vibrations.

LongRanger lineage

The first LongRanger was designated the Bell 206L, or "straight L," as it is now known. It was certified in 1975 and used the same engine as a JetRanger, the 420-shp Allison 250-C20B.

That wasn’t enough engine for the additional 800 pounds of gross weight (4,000 pound MGW). An optional feature was a water-alcohol pressure bottle in the baggage compartment that the pilot could use to squirt into the engine on takeoff to keep the TOT lower.

In 1978, the 206L-1 LongRanger was certified with a more powerful Allison 250- C28 engine that produced 500 shp. Gross weight went up to 4,150 pounds, and the transmission rating was raised from 420 shp to 435 shp. The engine was plagued by a series of Airworthiness Directives.

In 1981, the 206L-3 was certified with a still more powerful engine, the 250-C30P. This configuration was and still is a crowd pleaser, with 650 shp from the C30 and the transmission limit remaining at 435 shp. MGW also stayed the same as in the L-1, at 4,150 pounds. The L-3 was in production from 1982 to 1992, during which time Bell delivered more than 600 aircraft.

In 1992, the 206 L-4 was introduced with the identical airframe, but with a transmission improvement to 490 shp. This allowed an increase in the MGW to 4,450 pounds. The L-4 is in current new production, with 280 aircraft delivered.

The good news is that used Bell 206s are still one of the best performing helicopters for the price, and should remain so for many years to come. They can be refurbished and outfitted, and owners and users can enjoy sustained and predictably reliable performance. A 10- or 15-year-old JetRanger or LongRanger with several thousand hours can be made to look and perform just like new.

Because JetRangers hold their resale value well, they represent a low investment risk. It is no wonder that the demand remains relatively high.

Ron and Shannon Bower hold FAA ATP certificates with 206 type ratings. Readers may contact them at Bell206@bowerhelicopter.com.