Bell 212
The Bell 212 is a twin-engine development of the classic single-engine Huey, using a single 'Twin Pac' powerplant that combines two turboshaft engines driving a shared gearbox for added safety. That twin-engine redundancy made it a favourite for offshore oil-rig transport and utility work over water, where an engine failure in a single-engine helicopter would be catastrophic. Its rugged, simple design and Huey-derived rotor system kept it in wide civilian and military use for decades after its 1968 debut. Many remain in active service today, particularly for firefighting and remote utility operations.
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Did you know?
The Bell 212's single 'Twin Pac' powerplant combines two turboshaft engines driving a shared gearbox, adding safety over the single-engine Huey it's based on.
Specifications
| Length | 12 m (39 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 3.5 m (12 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 14.6 m (48 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 14 |
| Persons on board | 15 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 5 t |
| Range | 236 NM (437 km) |
| Maximum speed | 100 kt (185 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 13,200 ft (4,023 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,745 ft/min (8.9 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 1,490 l |
| Engines | 1x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3B Twin Pac |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Bell 212 starts as a Uncommon catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Bell, the 212 family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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