Bell 206 JetRanger

Bell · United States · first flew 1966 · helicopter

The JetRanger is the light turbine helicopter that defined the class — a smooth, egg-shaped five-seater that became one of the most-produced civil helicopters ever.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	1 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	Egg-shaped fuselage instantly recognisable from the side
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Sleek teardrop cabin with a long slim tail boom
Single Allison turboshaft, low-set rotor mast
Egg-shaped fuselage instantly recognisable from the side

Look for the smooth teardrop cabin, the two-blade main rotor and the long tapering tail boom. The fuselage is more rounded and bulbous than the slimmer AS350, and it carries a single engine.

Specifications

The Bell 206 JetRanger has a length of 9.5 m (31 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.16 m (33 ft).
Its maximum speed is 226 km/h (140 mph).
Typical crew: 1 pilot.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Bell developed the 206 from its losing entry in the US Army's Light Observation Helicopter contest, civilianising it as the JetRanger which first flew in 1966. The military later adopted a version as the OH-58 Kiowa, while thousands of civil JetRangers and the stretched LongRanger sold worldwide.

Variants

The line runs from the original 206A through the 206B JetRanger III, the seven-seat 206L LongRanger, and the military OH-58 Kiowa family. Many remain in service decades after build.

Where you'll see it

A staple of UK charter, training, news and police work for decades, JetRangers and LongRangers are widely operated by private owners and small commercial operators across the country and appear regularly at general-aviation airfields.

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