The Bell 214 is a 16-seat medium lift utility helicopter powered by a single Lycoming turboshaft engine. The single,
two-blade rotor gives the helicopter a distinctive whomp-whomp sound that could be heard miles away. The Bell 214 or
Model 214 Huey Plus was developed out of the Bell Model 205, or UH-1D. The prototype of the Model 214 flew first in 1970. The
Model 214 entered production as the model 214A with the first production helicopter flying on 13 March 1974. Bell developed a
civil derivative of the Model 214A, the Model 214B BigLifter, with modest changes including
emergency escape windows in the cargo doors; civilian avionics and an engine fire extinguishing system. Next to the role as
passenger transport the Big Lifter is used as a "flying crane" with an external cargo hook and as a firefighter. The
Model 214B was certified on 27 January 1976, but production ended already in 1981. The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the
Bell 214B-1 Big Lifter is B214
The 1980-built Bell 214B-1 s/n 28054 was original delivered as LN-ORM to Lufttransport AS. The helicopter
was transferred to Helifly AB and registered in Sweden as SE-HLE. In the summer of 2000, Scandinavian Helicopter
Group acquired Helifly AB and as a result Helifly was merged into the Osterman Helicopters AB of the same
owner. Big Lifter SE-HLE was transferred to Osterman Helicopter AB in January 2001. The SE-HLE was transferred as LN-ORM
to Helitrans AS. On 25 June 2005, Bell 214B-1 Big Lifter LN-ORM of Helitrans AS was seen at Groningen Airport Eelde
(EHGG/GRQ) with additional Skogbrann titles.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
