The Bell 204 and 205 are the civilian versions of the UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family of helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting and aerial firefighting.
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 204B helicopters had been delivered by 1967, while further examples were built by Agusta-Bell 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 were converted for commercial use.
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, ten.
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 Defense Force under the name Hiyodori.
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 1970s; only five were built and sold. Had 212 nose, uprated T53-17 engine, K-Flex driveshaft, 212 main rotor blades, tail rotor blades. Max weight, 10,500 pounds (11,200 external), max passengers, 14.
Bell 210 – Bell Helicopter's designation for a UH-1H, remanufactured and sold as a new aircraft. Powered by one T53-17B, same weight capacities as the 205B.
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.
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.
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 Helicopter's 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-engine Bell 214ST.
Bell 412 – Bell 212 with a four-blade semi-rigid rotor system.
Panha Shabaviz 2-75 – is an Iranian utility helicopter built by the Iranian Helicopter Support and Renewal Company. It is a reverse engineered version of the Bell 205s which were sold to the government of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The first example was built in 1998 and the type was publicly unveiled the following year. It has been manufactured locally in Iran since 2002 and is in active service with the Iranian military and government. It has also been claimed that it can be modified to carry light weaponry.
For all military operators, regardless of the actual model, see List of UH-1 Iroquois operators
Canada
National Research Council of Canada
Iran
Law Enforcement Force of Islamic Republic of Iran (Police Aviation)
Thailand
Royal Thai Police
Republic of China
National Airborne Service Corps
United States
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Florida Division of Forestry
Kern County Fire Department
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
NASA
Orange County Fire Authority
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
San Diego County Sheriff's Department
United States Border Patrol
Ventura County Sheriff's Department
Washington State Department of Natural Resources
Data from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft
General characteristics
Crew: one-two
Capacity: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) including up to eight-nine 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)
Useful load: lb (kg)
Loaded weight: 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)
