Interested in Our Aircraft? Learn more about the Bell 206 BIII Jet Ranger
The Bell 206 BIII Jet Ranger sets the industry standard for safety and reliability, which is why we use it in our operations at Captain’s Aviation. The aircraft is one of the most recognizable helicopters in the world and is one of the most popular turbine helicopters ever built due to its reliability and flexibility. The Bell 206 family of helicopters have been used for a range of purposes, including corporate and charter trips, utility missions, homeland security, and aerial tours and photography. The JetRanger has earned its fame for having the highest safety record among all single-engine helicopters, and is one of the most energy efficient and versatile helicopters today.
The Bell 206 BIII Jet Ranger is part of the Bell 206 family of two-bladed, single- and twin-engine helicopters. It was originally designed for the United States Army’s Light Observation Helicopter program. This family of helicopters has been used for years to complete military missions and rescue war-fighters from dangerous situations.
The first prototype of the helicopter flew on December 08, 1962 after being created to enter a competition to be the designated helicopter for the United States Navy. This competition was announced in 1960 by the United States Navy. They requested proposals from 25 aircraft manufacturers on behalf of the Army for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH). Bell entered this competition amongst 12 other competitors and their YOH-4A helicopter was announced as a winner of the design competition in 1961 along with a design by Hiller. In 1965, the Bell and Hiller helicopters lost to the Hughes OH-6 model, and the Bell was redesigned to be sleeker and have more cargo space. This helicopter was originally named the Bell 206A and later became the JetRanger.
The first Bell 206A flew on January 10, 1966 and a month later, was revealed at the Helicopter Association of America (HAA) convention. The JetRanger received its FAA certification in October of 1966 and delivery of the aircraft to customers began in January of 1967. The first owner of the JetRanger helicopter was Harry Holly, the CEO of the Hollymatic Corporation. In 1968, the United States Navy selected the 206A as its primary trainer helicopter and later used the helicopter for light observation.
Interestingly enough, the basic design and shape of the JetRanger has remained unchanged since 1967, however, the 206B JetRanger II was introduced in 1971 and our infamous 206 BIII JetRanger was introduced in 1977. The 206 BIII JetRanger has a modified tail rotor and more powerful engine. The helicopter has been well-positioned for corporate transport, air ambulance missions, and news reporting. In 1982, the helicopter was used for the first-ever around-the-world helicopter flight. Pilots H. Ross Perot, Jr. and Jay Coburn left from Dallas, Texas and returned 29 days later after flying around the globe. Then in 1983, Australian Businessman, Dick Smith, became the first helicopter pilot to complete a solo trip around the world, which he did in 260 hours of flight time. This helicopter has therefore become one of the most trusted in the world.
In 1993, the US Army chose the Bell 206 B3 as the winner of their New Training Helicopter competition, making it their primary training helicopter. The history of the aircraft continually shows its endurance and reliability, and is the reason it has been trusted by many as their first choice for private helicopter charter.
