Bell 412

Bell 412

The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor. It is a twin-turbine helicopter that has been popular on the civilian and military markets, and major users include Canada, Italy, and Japan. Several hundred have been produced since its introduction in 1979, and several iterations of upgrades and variations have been produced, such as with upgraded cockpit electronics.

It has been manufactured under license by Agusta in Italy as the Agusta-Bell AB412, in Indonesia by Indonesian Aerospace, and in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries. The CH-146 Griffon, a Bell 412 variant for the Canadian Armed Forces, is manufactured in Bell-Textron's main commercial factory in Mirabel, Quebec.

Design and development

Bell 412

Bell 412CF looking forward from the tail

Bell 412 on approach

Development began in the late 1970s, with two Bell 212s being converted into 412 prototypes. An advanced four-blade main rotor with a smaller diameter replaced the 212's two-blade rotor. A Bell 412 prototype first flew in August 1979. The initial model was certified in January 1981, with deliveries commencing in the same month. The 412 model was followed by the 412SP (Special Performance) version, which featured a larger fuel capacity, a higher takeoff weight, and optional seating arrangements. In 1991, the 412HP (High Performance) variant with improved transmission replaced the SP version in production.

A Chilean Air Force Bell 412

In the early 2000s, Bell offered the Bell 412EP as its Bell 412 LUH entrant in the U.S. Army Light Utility Helicopter program, where it competed against several other light helicopters for an order.

The current production version, 412EP (Enhanced Performance), is equipped with a dual digital automatic flight control system. In 2013, Bell introduced the 412EPI, which includes an electronic (digital) engine control upgrade for the PT6T-9 engine, and a glass cockpit display system similar to the one installed on the Bell 429. Also featured is a Garmin touchscreen navigation system, plus the BLR Strake and Fast Fin upgrades for improved hover performance.

The helicopter is powered by the Pratt and Whitney Canada twin-pack power plant with two turboshaft engines and has achieved the lowest in-flight shut-down rate of aircraft turboshaft engines. If one engine is shut down, a single engine can produce emergency power for 30 minutes.

The aircraft has been produced in Montreal, Canada, in Italy under license by Agusta, in Indonesia by Indonesian Aerospace, and also in Japan by Subaru (Fuji Heavy Industries). The Bell 412 was also initially manufactured in Texas, USA.

The emergency medical configuration can carry 6 patients/wounded and two attendants, or two stretchers and up to four attendants.

By 2022, over 1,300 Bell 412 helicopters had been delivered.

Variants

Bell 412

Bell 412HP of Heli Austria

RAF Griffin HT1

Bell 412: Standard Model with P&WC PT6T-3B Bell 412SP: Special Performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BF engines Bell 412HP: High performance version with P&WC PT6T-3BG or -3D engines Bell 412CF (CH-146 Griffon): 100 custom-built utility transport helicopters for the Canadian Forces, based on 412EP and designated by Bell as 412CF Bell 412EP: Enhanced performance version with P&WC PT6T-3DF engines Bell 412EPI: Glass cockpit version with P&WC PT6T-9 electronic controlled engines Bell Griffin HT1: Advanced training helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) between 1997 and 2018 as an advanced flying trainer. Operated by the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury and the Search and Rescue Training Unit at RAF Valley. Bell Griffin HAR2: Search and Rescue helicopter based on the Bell 412EP, operated by No. 84 Squadron RAF between 2003 and 2023 at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Agusta-Bell AB 412: Civil utility transport version, built under license in Italy by Agusta. Agusta-Bell AB 412EP: Italian-built version of the Bell 412EP. Agusta-Bell AB 412 Grifone: Military utility transport version, built under licence in Italy by Agusta.

UH-X prototype

Agusta-Bell AB 412 CRESO: Italian-built version, fitted with a ground surveillance radar. Bell 412 LUH: Entry for the U.S. Army Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program. Lost to the EC145 entry (see UH-72 Lakota) IPTN / Indonesian Aerospace NBell 412: Indonesian Aerospace's (formerly IPTN) licensed product of Bell 412. Indonesian Aerospace Gandiwa: Proposed tandem-seat attack helicopter design based on NBell 412 developed by Indonesian Aerospace and Indonesian Army Research and Development Service in 2012–2014. Development was discontinued due to poor potential sales. Subaru-Bell UH-2 (Formerly known as UH-X): Modified version of the Bell 412 EPI; 150 on order to meet the JGSDF's requirement for a UH-1J replacement. Subaru-Bell 412EPX: Commercial version of UH-X. H.1B: (Thai: ฮ.๖ข) Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the Bell 412. H.1C: (Thai: ฮ.๖ค) Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the Bell 412(HP)SP. H.1E: (Thai: ฮ.๖ง) Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the Bell 412EP. H.LL.2: (Thai: ฮ.ลล.๒) Royal Thai Navy designation for the Bell 412.

Operators

Bell 412

The Bell 412 is used by private and commercial operators. It is particularly popular in the oil industries, military, law enforcement, and for medevac use. Around 2022-23, the unit cost for a 412EPX model was between US$14.5 million and US$16 million.

Military operators

Chilean Air Force Bell 412

Algeria: Algerian Air Force Argentina: Argentine Air Force Australia: Australian Army : 2 under lease at Army Aviation Training Center. Azerbaijan: Azerbaijani Air Force Bahrain: Bahraini Air Force Botswana: Botswana Defence Force Cameroon: Cameroon Air Force

Canadian CH-146 Griffon

Canada: Royal Canadian Air Force 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (3e École de pilotage des Forces canadiennes) Main article: Bell CH-146 Griffon Chile: Chilean Air Force Colombia: Colombian Navy Cyprus: Cypriot National Guard El Salvador: Salvadoran Air Force Eritrea: Eritrean Air Force

Agusta-Bell AB-412 of the Italian Army

AB-412 cockpit

Ghana: Ghana Air Force Guatemala: Guatemalan Air Force Guyana: Guyana Defence Force Honduras: Honduran Air Force Indonesia: Indonesian Army Indonesian Navy Italy: Italian Army Iraq: 412M on order. Jamaica: Jamaica Defence Force

JGSDF UH-2 in November 2023 at Camp Akeno, Japan

Japan: Japan Ground Self Defence Force Lesotho: Lesotho Defence Force

Mexican Air Force Bell 412EP, 2012

Mexico: Mexican Air Force Montenegro: Montenegrin Air Force Morocco: Moroccan Navy Nigeria: Nigerian Air Force Norway: Royal Norwegian Air Force Pakistan: Pakistan Air Force Pakistan Army

A Slovenian Air Force Bell 412

Panama: National Aeronaval Service of Panama Peru: Peruvian Air Force Peruvian Navy Philippines: Philippine Air Force: Philippine Army Saudi Arabia: Royal Saudi Air Force Slovenia: Slovenian Air Force Somalia: Somali Air Force

Two Bell 412 of the Republic of Korea Air Force

South Korea: South Korean Air Force Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Air Force Tanzania: Tanzania People's Defense Force

A 412 of the Royal Thai Air Force

Thailand: Royal Thai Air Force Tunisia: Tunisian Air Force Turkey: Turkish Coast Guard United Arab Emirates: United Arab Emirates Air Force Uruguay: Uruguayan Navy Venezuela: Venezuelan Army Venezuelan Navy  Zambia: Zambian Air Force Zimbabwe: Air Force of Zimbabwe

Government operators

New South Wales Bell 412EP at Wagga Wagga with the Rural Fire Service

Australia: Department of Fire and Emergency Services Emergency Management Queensland New South Wales Police Force New South Wales Rural Fire Service SAAS MedSTAR Retrieval Service Brazil: Federal Police Canada: Canadian Coast Guard National Research Council Surete du Quebec Colombia: National Police of Colombia Croatia: Croatian Ministry of Interior

A Finnish Border Guard Agusta Bell AB-412

Czech Republic: Police of the Czech Republic Finland: Finnish Border Guard India: Government of Uttar Pradesh: Operates two Bell 412EP. Indonesia: Indonesian National Police Iran: Iranian Red Crescent Society

An Italian Guardia di Finanza Agusta Bell AB-412

Italy: Guardia di Finanza State Forestry Corps Japan: Japan Coast Guard Tokyo Metropolitan Police

South Korean National Police Bell 412

South Korea: Coast Guard United States: Chicago Fire Department Delaware State Police Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles County Fire Department Miami-Dade County Fire Department New York Police Department Orange County Fire Authority San Diego Fire Department United States Park Police Ventura County Fire Department Virginia State Police Kern County Fire Department

Former

An LA County Fire Dept. 412 sits atop a helipad in the mountains in the Angeles National Forest.

Netherlands: Royal Netherlands Air Force. AB412 helicopters retired from SAR duties in 2015. Poland: Polish Air Force, 1 412HP used 1993–2011 Slovenia: Slovenian National Police United States: Los Angeles Fire Department Uganda: Uganda Air Force United Kingdom: Royal Air Force

Incidents and accidents

Bell 412

• On April 4, 1991, a Bell 412SP collided in mid-air with a Piper Aerostar over Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, during an improvised attempt to inspect the Aerostar's landing gear. The accident killed all five people on both aircraft, including Aerostar passenger and United States senator John Heinz, along with two children on the ground. The collision was attributed to poor judgment by the pilots of both aircraft. • On December 10, 2006, Bell 412SP medical helicopter Mercy Air 2 crashed in mountainous terrain near Hesperia, California. All three crew members on board died. The accident was attributed to controlled flight into terrain in low visibility. • On December 7, 2023, a Bell 412EP operated by the Guyanese military went down carrying 2 crew and 5 senior officers at the border between Venezuela and Guyana during bad weather.

Specifications (Bell 412EP)

Bell 412

Rotor head and transmission of a Bell 412

Data from International Directory of Civil Aircraft, Bell 412EP Product Specifications

• Crew: one-two pilots • Capacity: up to 13 passengers, maximum external load of almost 6,614 lb (3,000 kg) • Length: 56 ft 1 in (17.09 m) including rotors • Fuselage length: 43 ft (13 m) • Height: 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) • Empty weight: 6,789 lb (3,079 kg) • Max takeoff weight: 11,900 lb (5,398 kg) • Blade sections: root: Boeing VR-7; tip: Wortmann FX 71-H-080 • Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3D Twin-Pac or PT6T-3DF Twin-Pac coupled turboshaft engine - each, 1,250 shp (930 kW)

• Main rotor diameter: 46 ft 0 in (14.02 m) • Main rotor area: 1,662 sq ft (154.4 m2)

• Maximum speed: 140 kn (160 mph, 260 km/h) • Cruise speed: 122 kn (140 mph, 226 km/h) • Range: 529 nmi (609 mi, 980 km) • Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m) • Rate of climb: 1,350 ft/min (6.9 m/s) • Power/mass: 0.2663 hp/lb (0.4378 kW/kg)