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 (1979-08)
Introduction 1981 (1981)
Primary users Japan Ground Self Defence 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 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 (digital) engine control 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 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 412CF (CH-146 Griffon)
100 custom-built utility transport helicopters for the Canadian Forces, based on 412EP and designated by Bell as 412CF
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 Griffin HT1
Advanced training helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) between 1997 and 2018 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 between 2003 and 2023 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]
UH-X prototype
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-2 (formerly UH-X)[5]
Modified version of the Bell 412 EPI; 150 on order to meet the JGSDF's requirement for a UH-1J replacement.[6][7][8]
Subaru-Bell 412EPX
Commercial version of UH-X.[9]

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.

Bell 412 operators

Military operators

Chilean Air Force Bell 412
 Algeria
 Argentina
 Azerbaijan
 Bahrain
 Botswana
 Cameroon
 Canada
 Chile
 Colombia
 Cyprus
 Dominican Republic
 El Salvador
 Eritrea
 Ghana
 Guatemala
 Guyana
 Honduras
Bell 412 of Indonesian Navy
 Indonesia
 Iraq
An Agusta-Bell AB-412 of the Italian Army
 Italy
 Jamaica
 Japan
 Lesotho
 Mexico
 Montenegro
 Morocco
 Nigeria
 Norway
A Royal Norwegian Air Force Bell 412
 Pakistan
 Panama
 Peru
A Peruvian Air Force Bell 412HP
A Peruvian Navy AgustaWestland Bell AB-412SP
 Philippines
 Saudi Arabia
 Slovenia
A Slovenian Air Force Bell 412
 South Korea
 Sri Lanka
 Tanzania
A Royal Thai Air Force Bell 412
 Thailand
 Tunisia
 Turkey
 United Arab Emirates
A Bell 412EP Griffin HT1 of the Royal Air Force Defence Helicopter Flying School hover taxis to the runway at RIAT in 2010.
Griffin HAR2 of No. 84 Squadron RAF during medevac exercise, 2020
 Uruguay
 Venezuela
 Zimbabwe

Government operators

 Australia
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Canton of Sarajevo Police[24]
 Brazil
 Canada
 Colombia
 Croatia
Republic of Croatia Ministry of Interior - 2 Subaru-Bell 412EPXs for delivery in October 2023[31]
 Czech Republic
A Finnish Frontier Guard Agusta Bell AB-412
 Finland
 Indonesia
 Indonesia
 Italy
 Japan
 South Korea
 Slovenia
An LA County Fire Dept. 412 sits atop a helipad in the mountains in the Angeles National Forest.
 United States

Former operators

Military

 Uganda
 United Kingdom

Government

 Australia

 United States

Incidents and accidents

On April 4, 1991, a Bell 412 and Piper Aerostar collided in mid-air over a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All five people on both aircraft, including United States senator John Heinz, along with two children on the ground, were killed.

On April 22, 1994, a Bell 412 medical Helicopter AirCare[58] from North Carolina Baptist Hospital crashed into mountainous terrain near Bluefield, West Virginia, killing all four crew members on board.

On 9 July 2002, a Bell 412 from the El Salvador Air Force crashed after a lightning strike, killing all four crew members and three passengers on board.

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 December 7, 2023, a Bell 412 EPI Helicopter operated by Guyanese military went down with 2 crew and 5 senior officers, at the border between Venezuela and Guyana during bad weather.

Specifications (412EP)

Rotor head and transmission of a Bell 412

Data from International Directory of Civil Aircraft,[59] Bell 412EP Product Specifications[60]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one-two pilots
  • Capacity: up to 13 passengers, maximum external load of almost 6,614 lb (3,000 kg)[3]
  • Length: 56 ft 1 in (17.09 m) including rotors
  • Fuselage length: 43 ft (13 m)
  • Height: 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m)
  • Empty weight: 6,789 lb (3,079 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 11,900 lb (5,398 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3D Twin-Pac or PT6T-3DF Twin-Pac coupled turboshaft engine - each, 1,250 shp (930 kW)
900 shp (671 kW) single power section emergency power
  • Main rotor diameter: 46 ft 0 in (14.02 m)
  • Main rotor area: 1,662 sq ft (154.4 m2) *Blade sections: - root Boeing VR-7; tip Wortmann FX 71-H-080[61]

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 140 kn (160 mph, 260 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 122 kn (140 mph, 226 km/h)
  • Range: 529 nmi (609 mi, 980 km)
  • Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.9 m/s)
  • Power/mass: 0.2663 hp/lb (0.4378 kW/kg)

See also

Related development

Related lists

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Airliners.net". Airliners.net.
  2. ↑ "Bell Helicopter Introduces the Bell 412EPI: Boosts Performance and Reliability" (Press release). Las Vegas, NV: Textron. March 4, 2013. Archived from the original on February 5, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Bell/Agusta Bell 412 – Medium Transport Helicopter, USA/Italy Archived 2007-08-24 at the Wayback Machine, 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. ↑ "Camp AKENO Junior Crew". www.mod.go.jp. Archived from the original on April 14, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Foreign firms bid for $2 billion chopper deal" Archived 2018-06-22 at the Wayback Machine. The Japan Times/Reuters, Accessed 10 October 2014.
  7. ↑ Waldron, Greg (June 20, 2018). "Bell targets Asia-Pacific attack helicopter opportunities". FlightGlobal. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Subaru and Bell announce collaboration on commercial 412 helicopter upgrade". textron.com. July 16, 2018. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  9. ↑ "UH-X approaches maiden sortie". Flight International. Vol. 194, no. 5665. December 4–10, 2018. p. 13. ISSN 0015-3710.
  10. 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 39 40 41 42 43 "World Air Forces 2021". Flightglobal Insight. 2021. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Εξοπλισμός Εθνικής Φρουράς (Κύπρος)". www.ellinikos-stratos.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Agusta AB-412 in Carabinieri". Helis.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Bell 412EPi in al-Bahriyya al-Malakiyah". Helis.com. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Turkey And Georgia Conducted A Naval Exercise". Archived from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  15. ↑ Porfilio, Gabriel (January 10, 2018). "Uruguay navy authorised to buy two Bell 412s from Italy". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Australian Aircraft Register searching for Australian Helicopters Pty Ltd". Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia. Archived from the original on September 30, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  17. ↑ "RAC Rescue Helicopters". Archived from the original on October 12, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  18. ↑ "RAC Rescue Helicopter fact sheet" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Queenslanders Gov.t Fleet". qld.gov.au. Archived from the original on April 29, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Bell 412EPI helicopter for NSW Police Force". Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 24, 2013.
  21. ↑ Team, Coulson (April 3, 2020). "New South Wales Rural Fire Service Awards 412 Fleet Operation & Maintenance to Coulson Aviation PTY". Coulson Aviation Australia. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Goat rams, grounds Motor Accident Commission rescue chopper". Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  23. ↑ "MAC Rescue Helicopter Australia Air Ambulances". Helis.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Bosnia-Herzegovina purchases Nine New Helicopters". January 9, 2020. Archived from the original on January 9, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  25. ↑ "PF tem mais dois helicópteros que não levantam voo há quase dois anos". CorreioBraziliense.com.br. Archived from the original on September 20, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  26. ↑ "New helos for the Coast Guard". janes.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  27. ↑ Johnson, Oliver (January 5, 2018). "Better, Faster, Stronger: The Canadian Coast Guard's new helicopter fleet". Vertical Magazine. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  28. ↑ "ARCHIVED - Bell 412 (ASRA)". Archived from the original on December 24, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Le service héliporté de la Sûreté du Québec" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  30. ↑ "BELL 412 -Aviación Policial de la Policía Nacional". National Police of Colombia. January 23, 2016. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  31. ↑ O'Connor, Kate (October 3, 2022). "First Subaru Bell 412EPXs Sold In Europe". AVweb. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Czech-Republic Police". Helis.com. ©Copyright 2012 Helis.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2012.
  33. ↑ "The Border Guard's vessels and aircraft". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Polairud Dapatkan Heli Baru NBell-412 P-3003 Buatan PTDI". airspace-review.com (in Indonesian). December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  35. ↑ "کاموف ۲۲۶تی، آینده هلی‌کوپترهای امداد در ایران؟". BBC News فارسی. BBC Persian. Archived from the original on April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  36. ↑ "AB-412 Guardia di Finanza". Helis.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  37. ↑ Roelofs, Erik (April 2012). "Italy's Flying Foresters". Air International. Vol. 82, no. 4. pp. 78–81. ISSN 0306-5634.
  38. ↑ "第二管区海上保安本部 仙台航空基地". Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  39. ↑ Thompson, Paul Police Air Units Archived 2017-02-10 at the Wayback Machine J-HangarSpace Retrieved February 22, 2017
  40. ↑ "Introduction (Coast guard, Korea, South), Coast guard". janes.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  41. ↑ "South Korean Coast Guard Bell 412EP". Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
  42. ↑ "Helikopterji in oprema". policija.si. Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Great Lake Saviors". Vertical Magazine. November 16, 2011. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  44. ↑ "Delaware Marks 40 Years of Service". © Copyright 2010 by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association. Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  45. ↑ "History of the Air Support Division". LAPD Online. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  46. ↑ "L.A. County Fire". Los Angeles county fire department. Archived from the original on July 12, 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  47. ↑ "Miami-Dade-Fire-Rescue". Miami-Dade County.gov. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  48. ↑ "NYPD Bell 412". Helis.com. Archived from the original on June 2, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  49. ↑ "Orange County Fire Authority's New Bell 412 Fire and Rescue Helicopters". ©Copyright 2012 FDNNTV.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  50. ↑ "San-Diego-Fire signs for Bell-412". 2012 Copyright Shephard Press Limited. Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  51. ↑ "Bald Eagle Rescue is a team effort". Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  52. ↑ "New state-of-the-art helicopter arrives at Ventura County Aviation Unit". Ventura County Star. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  53. ↑ "State police secure funds to replace helicopter that crashed last summer, killing 2 troopers; new pilots being trained".
  54. ↑ Cooper et al. 2011, p. 178
  55. ↑ Minister for Ambulance Services (July 29, 2015). "New Air Ambulance Helicopter On Show". Premier of Victoria (Press release). Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  56. ↑ "LAFD Air Ops". Archived from the original on October 29, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2012.
  57. ↑ "Air Operations | Los Angeles Fire Department". web.archive.org. May 27, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  58. ↑ AirCare
  59. ↑ Frawley, Gerald. The International Directory of Civil Aircraft, 2003/2004, p. 45. Aerospace Publications, 2003. ISBN 1-875671-58-7.
  60. ↑ "Bell Helicopter, January 2006". Archived from the original on October 15, 2012.
  61. ↑ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved April 16, 2019.

Sources

  • Cooper, Tom; Weinert, Peter; Hinz, Fabian; Lepko, Mark (2011). African MiGs, Volume 2: Madagascar to Zimbabwe. Houston: Harpia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9825539-8-5.
  • Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, Vol. 180, No. 5321, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52.
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