Bell 205
Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
Engine: Lycoming T53-17
Maximum Horsepower: 1800 HP
Minimum Crew: 1 Pilot VFR
Passengers: 14 max.
Empty Weight: 5600 lbs.
Maximum Gross Weight External: 10,500 lbs.
Maximum Operating Ceiling: 20,000 PA
Maximum Rate of Climb: 2000 ft./min
Normal Cruise Speed: 100 knots
Range: 200 nm
Normal Fuel Consumption: approx. 90 gal./hour
Specifications vary with atmospheric conditions.
The Bell 204 and 205 are the civil versions of the ubiquitous UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting, and one of its most common uses, aerial firefighting.
Commonly used for aerial firefighting, heliskiing and heli-seismic Bell designed its Model 204 in response to a 1955 United States Army requirement for a utility helicopter. The 204 was a giant step forward in helicopter design, being one of the first to be powered by a turboshaft. The turboshaft engine radically improved the practicality of the helicopter due to its light weight and high power-to-weight ratio, lower fuel consumption, and lower maintenance and operating costs. The use of a turboshaft in the 204 allowed it to carry a useful payload over respectable ranges and at reasonable speeds, which resulted in the 204 and subsequent 205 becoming the most successful western helicopter series in terms of numbers built.
The civil 204B was first delivered in 1961. The subsequent Model 205A-1 is equivalent to the UH-1H, which, compared to the 204, is longer, larger, and has better performance and a more powerful engine.
Over 60 civil Model 204Bs had been delivered by 1967, while further examples were built by Agusta-Bell up until 1973. 12,000 Model 205s (including civil 205A-1s) were built by Bell and Agusta-Bell up to the early 1980s. Numerous ex military 204s and 205s converted for commercial use.
Purcell Helicopter Skiing – Featuring HeliQwest Bell 205
Kaman KMAX
Manufacturer: KAMAN
Engine: Honeywell T53-17A1
Max Horse Power: 1800 SHP
Min Crew: One Pilot
Empty Weight: 5100 lbs
Max Gross Weight External: 6000 lbs
Max Operating Ceiling: 15000 DA
Normal Cruise Speed: 100 KTS
Range: 180 NM
Normal Fuel Consumption: 85 US Gals per hour.
The K-1200 K-MAX “aerial truck” is the world’s first helicopter specifically designed, tested, and certified for repetitive external lift operations and vertical reference flight (Kaman received IFR Certification in 1999), an important feature for external load work. A K-MAX has been used for demolition work by having a wrecking ball as sling load. Other rotorcraft used for these tasks are adapted from general-purpose helicopters, or those intended to primarily carry passengers or internal cargo. The aircraft’s narrow, wedge-shaped profile and bulging side windows gives the pilot a good view of the load looking out either side of the aircraft.
The transmission has a reduction ratio of 24 in three stages, and is designed for infinite life. The rotor blades are built with a wooden spar and fiberglass trailing edge sections. Wood was chosen for its damage tolerance, fatigue resistance and to take advantage of field experience and qualification data amassed from a similar spar on the HH-43 helicopter, built for the U.S. Air Force in the ’50s and ’60s.
The K-MAX relies on the two primary advantages of synchropters over conventional helicopters. The first of these is the most efficient of any rotor-lift technology; the other is the synchropter’s natural tendency to hover. This increases stability, especially for precision work in placing suspended loads. At the same time, the synchropter is more responsive to pilot control inputs, making it possible to easily swing a load thus to scatter seed, chemicals, or water over a larger area.
A K-MAX has been used for demolition work by having a wrecking ball as sling load.
Eurocopter AS350B2
At a glance
- Max weight: 4,960 lbs.
- Capacity: 1 pilot + 5/6 passengers
- Powerplant: 1 Turbomeca Arriel 1D1
- Fast cruise speed: 133 kts.
External dimensions
- Overall length with blade in front: 42.4 ft.
- Minimum width with all blades: 35.1 ft.
- Overall width with blades folded: 8.3 ft.
Documentation
General data
- Empty weight of standard aircraft: 2,690 lbs.
- Maximum takeoff weight: 4,960 lbs.
- Useful load: 2,270 lbs.
- Maximum takeoff weight (with external load): 5,512 lbs.
- Usable fuel capacity (standard tank): 143 gal.
- Powerplant: 1 Turbomeca Arriel 1D1
- Cabin volume: 105.94 cu. ft.
- Baggage compartment volume: 35.3 cu. ft.
- Standard seating capacity: 1+5
*Performance data
- Never exceed speed: 155 kts.
- Fast cruise speed: 133 kts.
- Maximum range (with no reserves): 360 nm.
- Maximum endurance (with no reserves):
- 4.4 hrs.
- Hover In ground effect ceiling (5 ft. skid height): 9,850 ft.
- Hover out of ground effect ceiling: 7,550 ft.
- Takeoff power: 732 shp.
- Rate of climb: 1,675 fpm.
* Performance data is provided at Sea Level, ISA conditions, maximum gross weight, with standard fuel. It is not intended for flight planning purposes.
Eurocopter AS350B3
At a glance
- Max weight: 5,225 lbs.
- Capacity: 1 pilot + 5/6 passengers
- Powerplant: 1 Turbomeca Arriel 2B1
- Fast cruise: 137 kts.
External dimensions
- Overall length with blade in front: 42.4 ft.
- Minimum width with all blades: 35.1 ft.
- Overall width with blades folded: 8.3 ft.
Documentation
General data
- Empty weight of standard aircraft: 2,771 lbs.
- Maximum takeoff weight: 5,225 lbs.
- Useful load: 2,454 lbs.
- Maximum takeoff weight (with external load): 6,172 lbs.
- Usable fuel capacity (standard tank): 143 gal.
- Powerplant: 1 Turbomeca Arriel 2B1
- Cabin volume: 105.94 cu. ft.
- Baggage compartment volume: 35.3 cu.ft.
- Standard seating capacity: 1+5
*Performance data
- Never exceed speed: 155 kts.
- Fast cruise speed: 137 kts.
- Maximum range (with no reserves): 349 nm.
- Maximum endurance (with no reserves): 4.2 hrs.
- Hover In ground effect ceiling (5 ft. skid height): 11,600 ft.
- Hover out of ground effect ceiling: 9,450 ft.
- Takeoff power: 847 shp.
- Rate of climb: 1,818 fpm.
* Performance data is provided at Sea Level, ISA conditions, maximum gross weight, with standard fuel. It is not intended for flight planning purposes.
Bell 212
General data
- Crew: 1 (two for IFR operation)
- Capacity: 14
- Length: 57 ft 1.68 in
- Rotor diameter: 48 ft
- Height: 12 ft 6.83 in
- Disc area: 1,809.5 ft²
- Empty weight: 6529.4 lb
- Max. takeoff weight: 11,200 lb
Performance data
- Never exceed speed: 120 knots
- Maximum speed: 120 knots
- Cruise speed: 100 knots
- Range: 237 nm
- Service ceiling: 17,400 ft
- Rate of climb: 1,745 ft/min
- Disc loading: 6.19 lb/ft
Bell 206
General characteristics
- Crew: one pilot
- Capacity: four passengers
- Length: 39 ft 8 in
- Rotor diameter: 33 ft 4 in
- Height: 9 ft 4 in
- Disc area: 872 ft²
- Empty weight: 2,331 lb
- Max. takeoff weight: 3,200 lb
- Powerplant: 1 × Allison 250-C20B, 420 shp; derated to 317 shp due to drivetrain limitations (310 kW)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: 130 knots
- Maximum speed: 120 knots
- Range: 374 nmi
- Service ceiling: 13,500 ft
- Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min
- Disc loading: 4 lb/ft²
- Power/mass: 0.26 hp/lb