Bell 412

Bell 412
Bell 412EP of the Los Angeles City Fire Department
Role Multipurpose utility helicopter
National origin United States/Canada
Manufacturer Bell Helicopter
First flight August 1979
Introduction 1981
Status In service
Primary users Royal Air Force
See Operators for others
Produced 1979–present
Number built Over 869
Developed from Bell 212
Variants Bell CH-146 Griffon

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.

Design and development

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.[1]

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.[1] 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.[2]

Over 700 Model 412s (including 260 by AgustaWestland) have been built.[3]

Variants

Bell 412EP (offshore configuration) test flight at Ratmalana Airport
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.[4]
Agusta-Bell AB 412EP
Italian-built version of the Bell 412EP.[4]
Agusta-Bell AB 412 Grifone
Military utility transport version, built under licence in Italy by Agusta.[4]
Agusta-Bell AB 412 CRESO
Italian-built version, fitted with a ground surveillance radar.
NBell 412
Indonesian IPTN's licensed product of Bell 412[4]
Subaru-Bell UH-X
Modified version of the Bell 412 EPI; 150 on order to meet the JGSDF's requirement for a UH-1J replacement.[5][6][7]

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

Chilean Air Force Bell 412
 Algeria
 Argentina
 Azerbaijan
 Botswana
 Cameroon
 Canada
 Chile
 Colombia
A Finnish Frontier Guard Agusta Bell AB-412
 Dominican Republic
 El Salvador
 Eritrea
 Ghana
 Guatemala
 Guyana
 Honduras
An Agusta-Bell AB-412 of the Italian Army
 Indonesia
 Italy
 Jamaica
 Lesotho
 Mexico
 Montenegro
 Morocco
 Nigeria
A Royal Thai Air Force Bell 412
 Norway
 Pakistan
 Panama
 Peru
 Philippines
 Saudi Arabia
 Slovenia
A Slovenian Air Force Bell 412
 South Korea
 Sri Lanka
 Thailand
 Turkey
 United Arab Emirates
 United Kingdom
 Uruguay
 Venezuela
A Bell 412EP Griffin HT1 of the Royal Air Force Defence Helicopter Flying School hover taxis to the runway at RIAT 2010
 Zimbabwe

Governmental operators

 Australia
 Brazil
 Canada
 Colombia
 Czech Republic
 Finland
 Italy
An L.A. County Fire Dept. 412 sits atop a helipad in the mountains in the Angeles National Forest.
 Japan
 Slovenia
 United States

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.[43][44]

Specifications (412EP)

Rotor head and transmission of a Bell 412

Data from International Directory of Civil Aircraft,[45] Bell 412EP Product Specifications[46]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Related lists

References

  1. 1 2 Bell 412. Airliners.net
  2. ↑ "Bell Helicopter Introduces the Bell 412EPI: Boosts Performance and Reliability" (Press release). Las Vegas, NV: Textron. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  3. 1 2 Bell/Agusta Bell 412 – Medium Transport Helicopter, USA/Italy, Aerospace-Technology.com
  4. 1 2 3 4 Model 212 Twin Huey: USN-USMC UH-1N / Model 412 Archived February 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.. Vectorsite.net, 1 December 2007.
  5. ↑ Foreign firms bid for $2 billion chopper deal The Japan Times/Reuters Accessed 10th October 2014
  6. ↑ Waldron, Greg (June 20, 2018). "Bell targets Asia-Pacific attack helicopter opportunities". Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Subaru and Bell announce collaboration on commercial 412 helicopter upgrade". textron.com. July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  9. ↑ http://defence-blog.com/aviation/azerbaijan-showcase-recently-received-bell-412-helicopters-military-parade.html/amp
  10. ↑ "Introduction (Coast guard, Korea, South), Coast guard". janes.com. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  11. ↑ "South Korean Coast Guard Bell 412EP". Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  12. ↑ "Turkey And Georgia Conducted A Naval Exercise". Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  13. ↑ Porfilio, Gabriel (10 January 2018). "Uruguay navy authorised to buy two Bell 412s from Italy". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  14. ↑ "World Air Forces 2015". Flightglobal Insight. 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  15. ↑ "Australian Aircraft Register searching for Australian Helicopters Pty Ltd". Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia.
  16. ↑ "RAC Rescue Helicopters".
  17. ↑ "Queenslanders Gov.t Fleet". qld.gov.au. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  18. ↑ "Bell 412EPI helicopter for NSW Police Force".
  19. ↑ http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/goat-rams-grounds-motor-accident-commission-rescue-chopper/news-story/8ce9e5990741caba053afa0f60495099
  20. ↑ "MAC Rescue Helicopter Australia Air Ambulances".
  21. ↑ "PF tem mais dois helicópteros que não levantam voo há quase dois anos". CorreioBraziliense.com.br. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "New helos for the Coast Guard". janes.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  23. ↑ "ARCHIVED - Bell 412 (ASRA)". Archived from the original on 2013-12-24.
  24. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  25. ↑ "BELL 412 -Aviación Policial de la Policía Nacional". National Police of Colombia. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  26. ↑ "Czech-Republic Police". ©Copyright 2012 Helis.com. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  27. ↑ "The Border Guard's vessels and aircraft".
  28. ↑ "Agusta AB-412 in Carabinieri". Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  29. ↑ "AB-412 Guardia di Finanza". Retrieved 1 January 2013.
  30. ↑ Roelofs, Erik (April 2012). "Italy's Flying Foresters". Air International. Vol. 82 no. 4. pp. 78–81. ISSN 0306-5634.
  31. ↑ "第二管区海上保安本部　仙台航空基地".
  32. ↑ Thompson, Paul Police Air Units J-HangarSpace Retrieved February 22, 2017
  33. ↑ "Helikopterji in oprema". policija.si. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  34. ↑ "Great Lake Saviors". Vertical Magazine. 16 November 2011.
  35. ↑ "Delaware Marks 40 Years of Service". © Copyright 2010 by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association. Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  36. ↑ "LAFD Air Ops". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  37. ↑ "L.A. County Fire". Archived from the original on 12 July 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  38. ↑ "Miami-Dade-Fire-Rescue". © 2012 Miami-Dade County.gov. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  39. ↑ "NYPD Bell 412". ©Copyright 2012 Helis.com. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  40. ↑ "Orange County Fire Authority's New Bell 412 Fire and Rescue Helicopters". ©Copyright 2012 FDNNTV.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  41. ↑ "San-Diego-Fire signs for Bell-412". 2012 Copyright Shephard Press Limited. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  42. ↑ "Bald Eagle Rescue is a team effort". Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  43. ↑ "Kohat GOC, six other officers die in copter crash: Technical fault caused accident: ISPR". Dawn. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  44. ↑ "General killed in Pakistan crash". BBC News. 6 February 2008. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
  45. ↑ Frawley, Gerald. The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003/2004, p. 45. Aerospace Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
  46. ↑ Bell Helicopter, January 2006 Archived October 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  • Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, Vol. 180 No. 5321, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52.
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