Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Bell 412

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Length
  
13 m

Unit cost
  
9,000,000–9,000,000 USD

Number of seats
  
13

Introduced
  
1981

Manufacturer
  
Bell Helicopter

Bell 412 Bell 412 AircraftRecognitioncouk

Engine type
  
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T

The Bell 412 is a twin-engine utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.

Contents

Bell 412 Bell 412 pictures technical data history Barrie Aircraft Museum

Bell 412ep air ambulance helicopter


Design and development

Bell 412 bell4123001jpg

Development began in the late 1970s with two Bell 212s being converted into 412 prototypes. An advanced four-blade main rotor with a smaller diameter replaced the 212's two-blade rotor. A Bell 412 prototype first flew in August 1979. The initial model was certified in January 1981 with deliveries commencing in the same month.

Bell 412 Bell4124jpg

The 412 model was followed by the 412SP (Special Performance) version featuring larger fuel capacity, higher takeoff weight and optional seating arrangements. In 1991, the 412HP (High Performance) variant with improved transmission replaced the SP version in production. The current production version, 412EP (Enhanced Performance), is equipped with a dual digital automatic flight control system. In 2013 Bell introduced the 412EPI which includes an electronic engine control (FADEC) for a PT6T-9 engine upgrade, and a glass cockpit display system similar to the Bell model 429. Also featured is a Garmin touchscreen navigation system, and the BLR Strake and Fast Fin upgrades for improved hover performance.

Over 700 Model 412s (including 260 by AgustaWestland) have been built.

Variants

Bell 412 httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu
Bell 412
Standard Model with P&WC PT6T-3B
Bell 412SP
Special Performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BF engines
Bell 412HP
High performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BG or -3D engines
Bell 412EP
Enhanced performance version with P&WC PT6T-3DF engines
Bell 412EPI
Glass cockpit version with P&WC PT6T-9 electronic controlled engines
Bell 412CF (CH-146 Griffon)
100 custom-built utility transport helicopters for the Canadian Forces, based on 412EP and designated by Bell as 412CF
Bell Griffin HT1
Advanced training helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) since 1997 as an advanced flying trainer. Operated by the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury and the Search and Rescue Training Unit at RAF Valley.
Bell Griffin HAR2
Search and Rescue helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by No. 84 Squadron RAF since 2003 at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
Agusta-Bell AB 412
Civil utility transport version, built under license in Italy by Agusta.
Agusta-Bell AB 412EP
Italian-built version of the Bell 412EP.
Agusta-Bell AB 412 Grifone
Military utility transport version, built under licence in Italy by Agusta.
Agusta-Bell AB 412 CRESO
Italian-built version, fitted with a ground surveillance radar.
NBell 412
IPTN's licensed product of Bell 412
Panha 412EP
Iranian domestically reverse-engineered version of AB 412EP, which has been in use with Iranian military. 4 of these variant were introduced at October 8, 2016 by Red Crescent of Iran.

Operators

The Bell 412 is used by private and commercial operators. It is particularly popular in the oil industries, military and for law enforcement use.

Military operators

 Algeria
  • Algerian Air Force
  •  Argentina
  • Argentine Air Force
  •  Botswana
  • Botswana Defence Force
  •  Cameroon
  • Cameroon Air Force
  •  Canada
    Royal Canadian Air Force
     Chile
  • Chilean Air Force
  •  Colombia
  • Colombian Navy
  •  Dominican Republic
  • Dominican Air Force (2 on order)
  •  El Salvador
  • Air Force of El Salvador
  •  Eritrea
  • Eritrean Air Force
  •  Ghana
  • Ghana Air Force
  •  Guatemala
  • Guatemalan Air Force
  •  Guyana
  • Guyana Defence Force
  •  Honduras
  • Honduran Air Force
  •  Indonesia
  • Indonesian Army
  • Indonesian Navy
  •  Italy
  • Italian Army
  •  Jamaica
  • Jamaica Defence Force
  •  Lesotho
  • Lesotho Defence Force
  •  Mexico
  • Mexican Air Force
  •  Netherlands
  • Royal Netherlands Air Force
  •  Nigeria
  • Nigerian Air Force — two seized by Nigerian Customs Service handed over to Nigerian Air Force
  •  Norway
  • Royal Norwegian Air Force
  •  Pakistan
  • Pakistan Air Force
  • Pakistan Army
  •  Panama
  • Panamanian Public Forces
  •  Peru
  • Peruvian Air Force
  • Peruvian Navy
  •  Philippines
  • Philippine Air Force
  •  Saudi Arabia
  • Royal Saudi Air Force
  •  Slovenia
  • Slovenian Air Force
  •  South Korea
  • South Korean Air Force
  • Coast Guard
  •  Sri Lanka
  • Sri Lanka Air Force
  •  Thailand
  • Royal Thai Air Force
  • Royal Thai Police
  •  Turkey
  • Turkish Coast Guard
  •  United Arab Emirates
  • United Arab Emirates Air Force
  •  United Kingdom
  • Royal Air Force
  •  Venezuela
  • Venezuelan Army
  • Venezuelan Navy
  •  Zimbabwe
  • Air Force of Zimbabwe
  • Governmental operators

     Australia
  • Australian Helicopters,
  • Department of Fire and Emergency Services
  • Emergency Management Queensland
  • New South Wales Police Force
  •  Brazil
  • Federal Police
  •  Canada
  • Surete du Quebec
  • National Research Council Canada
  • Canadian Coast Guard
  •  Czech Republic
  • Police of the Czech Republic
  •  Finland
  • Finnish Border Guard
  •  Italy
  • Carabinieri
  • Guardia di Finanza
  • State Forestry Corps
  •  Japan
  • Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (future user)
  • Japan Coast Guard
  • Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
  •  Slovenia
  • Slovenian National Police
  •  United States
    Bell 412 Bell 412 Wikipedia

  • Chicago Fire Department
  • Delaware State Police
  • Los Angeles City Fire Department
  • Los Angeles County Fire Department
  • Miami-Dade County Fire Department
  • New York City Police Department
  • Orange County Fire Authority
  • San Diego Fire Department
  • United States Park Police
  • Incidents and accidents

    On April 4, 1991, a Bell 412 collided with a small plane carrying United States Senator H. John Heinz III, which killed the senator.

    On December 10, 2006, a Bell 412 medical helicopter Mercy Air 2 crashed in mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California. All three crew members on board died.

    On February 6, 2008, a Bell 412 crashed due to a malfunction, killing Major General Javed Sultan, the commanding officer for Kohat garrison, along with two brigadiers and five other military personnel in South Waziristan Agency, Pakistan.

    On April 7, 2009, a Bell 412EP presidential helicopter operated by the Philippine Air Force crashed in bad weather on the slopes of Mount Pulag in Tinoc, Ifugao on a flight from Loakan Airport to Lagawe. All eight on board the helicopter died, including four key aides of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

    On November 22, 2010, a Bell 412 belonging to the Cameroon defense forces crashed en route from Douala to the country's capital Yaounde. According to government sources, the aircraft had three crew and two passengers.

    On February 6, 2014, a Bell 412 of Panama Public Forces SENAN, crash on Mamsucum, Guna Yala Indian Reserve, killing Lieutenant Agustín Santos and injuring eight others, including SENAN Executive Director Belsio González. Witnesses reported a dense fog with reduced visibility in the area. The aircraft was undertaking anti-drug operations against drug lords and was in pursuit of a high speed boat when it crashed in the jungle.

    On April 13, 2014, an Augusta-Bell 412 military helicopter slammed into a hangar and crashed as it took off at Julius Nyerere International Airport, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Occupants including Tanzanian Vice President Mohamed Gharib Bilal and other top government officials narrowly survived the crash.

    On March 20, 2016, a Bell 412EP crashed in Poso district (Indonesia) while flying in adverse weather conditions. The helicopter was on a mission to capture the country's most wanted militant when it crashed and burst into flames. The helicopter was carrying 13 soldiers and crew when it went down about 35 minutes after taking off from Poso district's Watutau village, said Maj. Gen. Agus Surya Bakti, the regional military chief overseeing South and Central Sulawesi provinces. All 13 people on board died.

    On August 9, 2016, a Griffin HT-1 of the Defence Helicopter Flying School of the Royal Air Force caught fire after making an emergency landing on top of Yr Aran, Wales following a technical problem. All four crew exited safely.

    Specifications (412EP)

    Data from International Directory of Civil Aircraft, Bell 412EP Product Specifications

    General characteristics

  • Crew: one-two pilots
  • Capacity: up to 13 passengers, maximum external load of almost 6,614 lb (3,000 kg)
  • Length: 56 ft 1 in (17.1 m)
  • Rotor diameter: 46 ft (14.0 m)
  • Height: 15 ft (4.6 m)
  • Disc area: 1,662 ft² (154.4 m²)
  • Empty weight: 6,789 lb (3,079 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 11,900 lb (5,397 kg)
  • Fuselage length: 43 ft (13.1 m)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3D or PT6T-3DF Twin-Pac turboshafts, 1,250 shp (932 kW), 900 shp (671 kW) for each power section
  • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 140 knots (161 mph, 259 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 122 knots (140 mph, 226 km/h)
  • Range: 609 mi (up to 980km)
  • Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,096 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.86 m/s)
  • Power/mass: 0.2663 hp/lb (437 W/kg)
  • References

    Bell 412 Wikipedia


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