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.
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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.
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
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
- Algerian Air Force
- Argentine Air Force
- Botswana Defence Force
- Cameroon Air Force
- Chilean Air Force
- People's Liberation Army Ground Force
- People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
- Colombian Navy
- Dominican Air Force (2 on order)
- Air Force of El Salvador
- Eritrean Air Force
- Ghana Air Force
- Guatemalan Air Force
- Guyana Defence Force
- Honduran Air Force
- Indonesian Army
- Indonesian Navy
- Italian Army
- Jamaica Defence Force
- Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (future user)
- Lesotho Defence Force
- Mexican Air Force
- Ministry of Defence - Three on order as part of modernization efforts.
- Royal Moroccan Navy -- two to be delivered in 2018
- Royal Netherlands Air Force
- Nigerian Air Force -- two seized by Nigerian Customs Service handed over to Nigerian Air Force
- Royal Norwegian Air Force
- Pakistan Air Force
- Pakistan Army
- Panamanian Public Forces
- Peruvian Air Force
- Peruvian Navy
- Philippine Air Force
- Royal Saudi Air Force
- Slovenian Air Force
- South Korean Air Force
- Coast Guard
- Sri Lanka Air Force
- Royal Thai Air Force
- Royal Thai Police
- Turkish Coast Guard
- United Arab Emirates Air Force
- Royal Air Force
- Venezuelan Army
- Venezuelan Navy
- Air Force of Zimbabwe
Governmental operators
- Babcock Mission Critical Services,
- Department of Fire and Emergency Services
- Emergency Management Queensland
- New South Wales Police Force
- MedSTAR
- Federal Police
- Surete du Quebec
- National Research Council Canada
- Canadian Coast Guard
- National Police of Colombia
- Police of the Czech Republic
- Finnish Border Guard
- Carabinieri
- Guardia di Finanza
- State Forestry Corps
- Japan Coast Guard
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
- Slovenian National Police
- 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.
On March 5, 2017, a Bell 412 EP of the Nagano Prefecture Air Rescue Team crashed on Mt Hachibuse in Nagano Prefecture, Japan during a training flight. All nine personnel on board were killed.
On October 6, 2017, a Bell 412 of the Mexican military crashed in the state of Durango, injuring one person and possibly killing seven more people aboard.
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)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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