Bell 412

Design and development

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.

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 :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.

;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 :() Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the Bell 412. ;H.1C :() Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the Bell 412(HP)SP. ;H.1E :() Royal Thai Armed Forces designation for the Bell 412EP. ;H.LL.2 :() Royal Thai Navy designation for the Bell 412.

Operators

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

;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

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

;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

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

;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

;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

;South Korea: South Korean Air Force ;Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka Air Force ;Tanzania: Tanzania People's Defense 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 ;: Zambian Air Force ;Zimbabwe: Air Force of Zimbabwe

Government operators

;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

;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

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

;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

;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

• 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)

|prime units?=kts General characteristics

• Fuselage length: 43 ft |max takeoff weight lb=11900 |max takeoff weight note=
• Blade sections: root: Boeing VR-7; tip: Wortmann FX 71-H-080 Powerplant --

::::900 shp single power section emergency power

Performance

|never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |disc loading lb/sqft= |fuel consumption lb/mi= |power/mass=0.2663 hp/lb

References

Citations

Sources

• Hoyle, Craig. "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International, Vol. 180, No. 5321, 13–19 December 2011. pp. 26–52.

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