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The Agusta-Bell AB.206B JetRanger II is a 5-seat light utility helicopter powered by a single Rolls Royce Allison 250-C20
turbine engine. In 1961, Bell developed Model 206 as the OH-4A to meet the U.S.Army requirements. The OH-4A flew
first on 8 December 1962. However the Bell OH-4A didn't win the competition, the helicopter was a
success as the Bell 206 Jet Ranger. The prototype of this five-seat commercial model, the Bell 206A
JetRanger N8590F, flew on 10 January 1966. Bell received FAA certification for the helicopter on
20 October 1966, and deliveries of the Model 206A powered by a 317 shp Allison C18A engine, started
in January 1967. In the early 1970s production switched to the Model 206B JetRanger II with a 400 shp
250-C20 turboshaft. The Model 206 was built under license by Agusta in Italy as the AB.206 Jet Ranger.
More than 4800 206Bs and 1700 206Ls have been produced since the introduction of the 206A JetRanger on 13 January 1967, when the first
two production aircraft were delivered to customers. Since then, Bell has delivered five different generations of the commercial 206 with its
206A/B JetRangers and 206L/L1/L3/L4 LongRangers. Bell 206 aircraft are currently produced at Bell Helicopter's facility in Mirabel, Canada.
Early 2008, Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, announced that it is terminating production of its 206B3 helicopter model. All current
customer commitments for the production of its 206B3 helicopter model will be met through 2010. |
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Agusta-Bell 206B Jet Ranger II s/n 8076 was built in 1968 as an AB-206A Jet Ranger and registered as G-AWLL in the UK on 15 July 1968.
It was upgraded to an AB-206B Jet Ranger II and registered as such on 29 August 1990. After the G-AWLL was sold to Holland,
the registration was cancelled on 31 August 1993. The registration PH-HXH was reserved for this helicopter on 2 June 1993,
but it was registered PH-HWH with Heli-Holland Holding BV, Emmer-Compascuum, on 3 September 1993. When the helicopter
was photographed above the Heli-Holland heliport near Emmen in the Netherlands, it was equipped with the
Wescam 16 CDS stabilized camera. |