Bell 206B JetRanger II / III
The definitive JetRanger: more power, a bigger tail rotor on the III, and decades as the world's standard light turbine helicopter · Certified 1971 · JetRanger III 1977
The 206B JetRanger II, certified on 19 August 1971, replaced the 206A with the more powerful Allison 250-C20 and a take-off weight raised to 3,200 lb (1,451 kg). The 206B-3 JetRanger III of 1977 switched to the 250-C20B or C20J and added a slightly larger tail rotor for better yaw control; earlier aircraft could be converted to the later standards. Production moved from Texas to Mirabel, Canada, in 1986.
The JetRanger became the archetypal news, police, training and utility helicopter. Militaries bought it as the Canadian CH-139, the US Army's TH-67 Creek trainer (chosen in 1993) and the Navy's TH-57B/C, and it flew with air arms from Brazil to Thailand. Slovenia's armed forces use four Bell 206Bs as pilot trainers. In 1994 Ron Bower flew his 206B-3 around the world in a record 24 days.
Bell ended 206B-3 production in 2010 and introduced the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X as its five-seat successor from around 2015. Agusta's licence-built AB 206B was produced alongside it in Italy.
