Bell 204/205

Bell 204/205

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For an overview of the whole Huey family of aircraft see Bell Huey

Bell 204 / 205

Kern County (California) Fire Department's Bell 205 departs from the Mojave Spaceport
Role	Multipurpose utility helicopter
Manufacturer	Bell Helicopter Textron
First flight	October 22, 1956
Introduced	1959
Developed from	UH-1 Iroquois
Variants	Bell 212 Bell 214 Panha Shabaviz 2-75

A Bell XH-40, a prototype of the UH-1 and Bell 204

The Bell 204 and 205 are the civil versions of the ubiquitous UH-1 Iroquois military helicopters. These models are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting, and one of its most common uses, aerial firefighting.

Development

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.

Variants

Bell 204 owned by Antelope Valley College, formerly operated by Boeing

A Bell 205A-1, used for parachutists during World Games 2005, Duisburg, Germany for the parachuting-competitions.

A Bell 205A-1 on firefighting duty with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources at Nym Lake, ON, 1996

A Bell 205A-1 with its helitack firefighting crew on standby with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources at Sioux Lookout, Ontario, 1995

A Bell 204B (upgraded to a "C" model) arrives to pick up its Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources firefighting crew on Fire 141, 1995

Bell 204

Bell Helicopter's company designation of the UH-1B.

Bell 204B - Civil or military utility transport helicopter, derived from the UH-1B. Powered by a T53-09A, max weight was 8,500 lbs, max passengers, 10.
Agusta-Bell AB 204 - Civil or military utility transport helicopter. Built under licence in Italy by Agusta.
Fuji-Bell 204B-2 - Civil or military utility transport helicopter. Built under licence in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries. Used by the Japan Ground Self Defence Force under the name Hiyodori.

Bell 205

Bell Helicopter's company designation of the UH-1H.

Bell 205A - Civil or military utility transport helicopter. Powered by one T53-11A, max weight 8,500 pounds, max passenger, 14.
- Agusta-Bell 205 - Civil or military utility transport helicopter. Built under licence in Italy by Agusta.
Bell 205A-1 - Civil or military utility transport helicopter version, initial version based on the UH-1H. Powered by one T53-13A, max weight 9,500 pounds (10,500 for external loads), max passengers, 14.
- Agusta-Bell 205A-1 - Modified version of the AB 205.
- Fuji-Bell 205A-1 - Civil or military utility transport helicopter. Built under licence in Japan by Fuji.
Bell 205B- Bell's early version of the 210 built in the late 70's; only 5 were built and sold. Had 212 nose, up-rated T53-17 engine, K-Flex drive-shaft, 212 main rotor blades, tail-rotor blades. Max weight, 10,500 pounds (11,200 external), max passengers, 14.
Bell 210 - Bell Helicopters designation for a UH-1H remanufactured and sold as a new aircraft. Powered by one T53-17B, same weight capacities as the 205B.

Experimental models

Agusta-Bell 205BG - Prototype fitted with two Gnome H 1200 turboshaft engines.
Agusta-Bell 205TA - Prototype fitted with two Turbomeca Astazous turboshaft engines.
Bell 208 In 1965, Bell experimented with a single twin-engine Model 208 "Twin Huey" prototype, which was a UH-1D fitted with Continental XT67-T-1 twin-pack engine module, consisting of two power turbines driving a common gearbox. This exercise was performed as an experiment using company funds.

Upgrades

205A++ - Field upgraded 205A utilizing a T53-17 engine and a 212 rotor system. Similar to the production 205B and 210.
Advanced 205B - Proposed upgraded Japanese version.
Global Eagle - Pratt & Whitney Canada name for a modified UH-1H with a new PT6C-67D engine, modified tail rotor, and other minor changes reported to increase range and fuel efficiency over the Bell 212.
Huey 800 - Upgraded commercial version, fitted with an LHTEC T800 turboshaft engine.

Derivatives

Bell 211 - The HueyTug, was a commercial version of the UH-1C with an upgraded transmission, longer main rotor, larger tailboom, strengthened fuselage, stability augmentation system, and a 2,650 shp (1,976 kW) T55-L-7 turboshaft engine.

Bell 212 - Bell Helicopters company designation for the UH-1N.

Bell 214 Huey Plus - Strengthened development of the Bell 205 airframe with a larger engine; optimized for "hot and high" conditions. Later developed into the larger, twin-engined Bell 214ST.

Bell 412 - Bell 212 with a four-bladed semi-rigid rotor system.

Panha Shabaviz 2-75 - Unlicensed version made by Panha in Iran.

Operators

Military operators

For all military operators, regardless of the actual model, see List of UH-1 Iroquois operators

Civil operators

Canada

Heli-North Aviation

Colombia

Helicol Colombia

El Salvador

Air Force

Italy
Laos
Mexico

Air America helicopters were formerly registered with XW registration.

New Zealand

Helipro

Portugal

Aeroavia

Sweden

Osterman Helicopter AB

Switzerland

Heliswiss

United States

Governmental operators

California Department of Forestry "Super Huey", formerly an EH-1H, assigned to the Bieber Helitack crew, takes off from the Mojave Airport

United States

Specifications (204B)

Bell 204 rotor head

Bell 204 instrument panel

Data from The International Directiory of Civil Aircraft

General characteristics

Crew: 1-2
Capacity: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) including up to 8-9 passengers, or equivalent cargo
Length: 41 ft 8 in (12.69 m)
Rotor diameter: 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m)
Height: 14 ft 7 in (4.5 m)
Disc area: 1,808 ft² (168.0 m²)
Empty weight: 4,600 lb (2,085 kg)
Loaded weight: lb (kg)
Useful load: lb (kg)
Max takeoff weight: 9,500 lb (4,310 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Lycoming T53-L-11A turboshaft, 1,100 shp (820 kW)

Performance

Never exceed speed: knots (mph, km/h)
Maximum speed: 120 knots (135 mph, 220 km/h)
Cruise speed: 111 knots (125 mph, 205 km/h)
Stall speed: knots (mph, km/h)
Range: 300 nm (mi, 533 km)
Service ceiling: 19,390 ft (5,910 m)
Rate of climb: 1,755 ft/min (8.9 m/s)
Disc loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
Power/mass: hp/lb (W/kg)

External links

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Published in July 2009.

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