Bell 230
The Bell 230 was a substantial upgrade of the earlier Bell 222, retaining the type’s distinctive retractable landing gear and sleek executive-helicopter profile. It replaced the 222’s Lycoming engines with more powerful Rolls-Royce turboshafts and introduced a four-blade rotor. The 222 had become famous as the fictional Airwolf, but the 230 was a real-world refinement aimed at corporate, EMS, and utility operators. Production lasted only a few years before the Bell 430 succeeded it.
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Did you know?
A Bell 222 upgrade with a four-blade rotor and more powerful Rolls-Royce turboshafts, before the Bell 430 replaced it.
Specifications
| Length | 13.7 m (45 ft) |
|---|---|
| Height | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Rotor diameter | 11.3 m (37 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 8 |
| Persons on board | 8 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 3.8 t |
| Range | 320 NM (593 km) |
| Maximum speed | 150 kt (278 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,510 ft/min (7.7 m/s) |
| Fuel capacity | 935 l |
| Engines | 2x Rolls-Royce 250-C30G/2 |
| Units built | 38 |
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 230 starts as a Very rare 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.
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