| Bell 214 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A Bell 214B | |
| Role | Medium-lift helicopter |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Bell Helicopter |
| First flight | 1970 |
| Introduction | 1972 |
| Status | Production completed |
| Primary user | Islamic Republic of Iran Army |
| Produced | 1970–1981 |
| Developed from | Bell 204/205 |
| Developed into | Bell 214ST |
The Bell 214 is a medium-lift helicopter derived from Bell Helicopter's ubiquitous UH-1 Huey series. The Bell 214ST shares the same model number, but is a larger, much-modified twin-engine derivative.
The original development of the Model 214 was announced by Bell in 1970 under the name "Huey Plus". The first prototype was based on a Bell 205 airframe equipped with a Lycoming T53-L-702 engine of 1,900 shp. [1]
The first Bell 214A demonstration prototype followed and was evaluated in Iran during field exercises with the Imperial Iranian Armed Forces. The trial was judged successful and an order for 287 214A helicopters followed. The intention was that these aircraft would be constructed by Bell in their Dallas-Fort Worth facility and that a further 50 214As and 350 Bell 214ST helicopters would then be built in Iran. In the event, 296 214A and 39 214C variants were delivered, before the Iranian Revolution in 1979 ended the plans for Iranian production. [2]
Similar in size and appearance to the Bell 205 and Bell 212, the Bell 214 uses a single, more powerful Lycoming LTC4B-8 engine (2,930 shp; 2,185 kW) and upgraded rotor system, giving it a high lifting capacity and good performance at high temperatures and high altitudes. [3] It can be identified by the single large exhaust duct and wide chord rotor blades without stabilizer bars.
Bell offered the Bell 214B "BigLifter" for civil use. [3] It received certification in 1976. The 214B was produced until 1981. Powered by a 2,930 shp (2,183 kW) Lycoming T5508D turboshaft, it has the same rotor drive and transmission system as the 214A. The transmission is rated at 2,050 shp (1,528 kW) for take-off, with a maximum continuous power rating of 1,850 shp (1,379 kW). The BigLifter features advanced rotor hub with elastomeric bearings; an automatic flight control system with stability augmentation; and commercial avionics. [4]
As of January 2012, 29 Bell 214s were in military service, including 25 Bell 214As with Iran, and three 214Bs with United Arab Emirates. [5]
Approximately 41 Bell 214Bs are in commercial service. User countries are Australia (6), [6] Canada (10), [7] Singapore (3) and United States (15). [8]
Australia 
Iran 
Ecuador 
Indonesia 
Pahlavi Iran 
Oman 
United Arab Emirates 
Data from The International Directory of Civil Aircraft [21]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helicopter in service with the United States military.
The Bell 212 is a two-blade, medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. Originally manufactured by Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, production was moved to Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in 1988, along with all Bell commercial helicopter production after that plant opened in 1986.
The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engined attack helicopter that was developed on behalf of, and primarily operated by, the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The twin Cobra family, itself part of the larger Huey family, includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra.
The Kamov Ka-60 Kasatka (Russian: "Касатка", is a Russian medium twin-turbine military transport helicopter under development by Kamov. It performed its first flight on 24 December 1998.
The Sikorsky S-70 is an American medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the United States Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the UH-60 Black Hawk and spawning a large family in U.S. military service. New and improved versions of the UH-60 have been developed since. Civilian versions, and some military versions, are produced under various S-70 model designations.
The Hiller OH-23 Raven is a three-place, military light observation helicopter based on the Hiller Model 360. The Model 360 was designated by the company as the UH-12, which was first flown in 1948.
The Lycoming T53, is a turboshaft engine used on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft since the 1950s. It was designed at the Lycoming Turbine Engine Division in Stratford, Connecticut, by a team headed by Anselm Franz, who was the chief designer of the Junkers Jumo 004 during World War II.
The Bell Model 309 KingCobra was an experimental attack helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter, based on the Bell AH-1 Cobra.
The Bell UH-1Y Venom is a twin-engine, medium-sized utility helicopter built by Bell Helicopter under the H-1 upgrade program of the United States Marine Corps. One of the latest members of the numerous Huey family, the UH-1Y is also called "Yankee" after the NATO phonetic alphabet pronunciation of its variant letter. Bell was originally to produce UH-1Ys by rebuilding UH-1Ns, but ultimately built them from scratch instead. In 2008, the UH-1Y entered service with the Marine Corps and also began full-rate production. The aircraft replaced the USMC's UH-1N Twin Huey light utility helicopters, introduced in the early 1970s. The final UH-1Y was delivered in 2018.
The General Electric T700 and CT7 are a family of turboshaft and turboprop engines in the 1,500–3,000 shp (1,100–2,200 kW) class.
The Bell 204 and 205 are the civilian versions of the UH-1 Iroquois single-engine military helicopter of the Huey family of helicopters. They are type-certificated in the transport category and are used in a wide variety of applications, including crop dusting, cargo lifting, Forestry Operations, and aerial firefighting.
The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter. It is a member of the extensive Huey family, the initial version was the CUH-1N Twin Huey, which was first ordered by the Canadian Forces in 1968.
The Bell 214ST is a medium-lift, twin-engine helicopter descended from Bell Helicopter's ubiquitous UH-1 Huey series. Though it shares a type number with the somewhat-related Bell 214, the 214ST is larger and of quite different appearance.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois military helicopter, first introduced in 1959, is the first production member of the prolific Huey family of helicopters, and was itself developed in over twenty variants, which are listed below.
The Sikorsky XH-39, developed by Sikorsky Aircraft in 1954, was the U.S. Army's first turbine-powered helicopter. It was fast and innovative, but ultimately rejected by the United States Army in favor of the Bell UH-1 Iroquois.
The American Aircraft Penetrator, now referred as the Aerocraft Stealth Star 204 SS, was a gunship helicopter modified from the Bell UH-1B Iroquois with tandem seating for the pilots and a troop-carrying compartment.
The Bell Huey family of helicopters includes a wide range of civil and military aircraft produced since 1956 by Bell Helicopter. This H-1 family of aircraft includes the utility UH-1 Iroquois and the derivative AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter series and ranges from the XH-40 prototype, first flown in October 1956 to the 21st-century UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper.
The Honeywell T55 is a turboshaft engine used on American helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft since the 1950s, and in unlimited hydroplanes since the 1980s. As of 2021, more than 6,000 of these engines have been built. It is produced by Honeywell Aerospace, a division of Honeywell based in Phoenix, Arizona, and was originally designed by the Turbine Engine Division of Lycoming Engines in Stratford, Connecticut, as a scaled-up version of the smaller Lycoming T53. The T55 serves as the engine on several major applications including the CH-47-Chinook, the Bell 309, and the Piper PA-48 Enforcer. The T55 also serves as the core of the Lycoming ALF 502 turbofan. Since the T55 was first developed, progressive increases in airflow, overall pressure ratio, and turbine inlet temperature have more than tripled the power output of the engine.
The Bell 47J Ranger is an American single-engine single-rotor light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It was an executive variant of the highly successful Bell 47 and was the first helicopter to carry a United States president.
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T Twin-Pac is a turboshaft engine designed for helicopters. Manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Canada, its first application was in the Bell 212 and UH-1N Twin Huey helicopter family. The PT6T Twin-Pac consists of two PT6A power turbines driving a common output reduction gearbox, producing up to 2,000 hp at 6,000 rpm. The engine is designated T400 by the U.S. military.
