BELL 222 HISTORY

Model D306 Static Shell (c) Bell Textron

The 26th annual meeting of the HAA (Helicopter Association of America) was held in San Diego, California during Sunday 13th to Wednesday the 16th of January in 1974. At that gathering, the HAA board of directors, including elected W.B. “Billy” Rowe (president of Campbell Air Service Inc) and president of the HAA along with many others got the first look at the bell twin engine concept design.

This is where the public also got its first glimpse of what would later become the iconic well renowned Bell 222 Helicopter.

The initial show and tell was done just to gage public interest in a twin engine concept (the first twin engine helicopter idea for the usa market) and as such it gained a lot of interest.

Model D306 Static Shell (c) Bell Textron

The engine cover was later refined and more streamlined on the static shell, a model that was referred to as the D306.

They wanted it to be more sleek and less like the cowling on the image above (which originally resembled the Huey cowling more than the 222) This helicopter was going to be a massive leap in Bell engineering.

Model D306 Static Shell (c) Bell Textron

The model D306 shell had two front doors, two rear doors and also featured the first T-bar tail which was also implemented on the first flying 222 prototype.

We don't know what happened to this static shell nor where it resides today, but this moch-up paved the way for the production of five Bell 222 prototypes.

We refer to this model D306 as C/N 47000.

Bell 222 C/N 47001 - N9988K (c) Bell Textron

The first flight of the original 222 Prototype (C/N 47001) was on Friday the 13th of August 1976, two years after the D306 shell was first shown.

Bell had been toying with the twin engine concept since the early 1960's and this maiden flight was set to pave the way for four more additional 222 prototypes,

This first prototype was registered as N9988K which was later to become much loved by the Airwolf Community when it was used as a grounded sound stage in the 1984 Airwolf Movie and Tv Series as seen decked out full of computers and gadgets.

  

Bell 222 C/N 47001 - N9988K (c) Bell textron

It received certification from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) on the 16th of August 1979 but wasn't approved for VFR (visual flight rules) use until the 20th of December 1979.

Bell didn't begin 222 deliveries to customers until Friday the 1st of February 1980 (wiki is wrong).

The FAA later approved the 222 for IFR (single-pilot instrument flight rules) use on the 15th of May 1980.

This first flying 222 prototype (47001) didn't have a front door on the co-pilots side, this was later something universal studios had cut into the side of N9988K in 1983 for filming. C/N 47001 never flew when used in the Airwolf Tv Series. Only C/N 47085 portrayed the flying Airwolf in the film and tv series (along with pole flyers and RC models)

Bell 222 C/N 47001 - N9988K (c) Bell textron

Bell 222 C/N 47001 - N9988K (c) Bell textron

The first Five prototypes all had the T bar tail to begin with, here is the Third prototype clearly showing the T bar tail. It's registration was cancelled in 1982 and its fate is unknown.

Bell 222 C/N 47003 - N222AX (c) Bell textron

The second prototype C/N 47002 registered as N9992K sadly crashed in 1977 and unfortunately not many images of it appear to exist . Its registration oddly wasn't cancelled until 2012.

Bell 222 C/N 47002 - N9992K (c) Bell textron

The forth prototype C/N 47004 was later used to experiment with the 4 bladed rotor system and was dubbed the Model 680. This helicopter successfully did a number of loops and barrel rolls. This helicopter was later registered as N2297X and was written off at some stage, the date and reason are unknown.

Bell 222 C/N 47004 - N680L (c) Bell textron

The fifth prototype C/N 47005 was being tested by the coast guard as the SSR / 222 Strapdown which had been outfitted by the Northrop Corporation. The project sadly didn't follow through and the registration for 47005 was cancelled in 1985 and its fate is unknown.

Bell 222 C/N 47005 - N222CX (c) Bell textron

From this point forward i am honestly winging it with theories and snippets of information i have patched together because the net is no longer what it was, the information that was out their has gone or it simply never was (you can comment below your self to correct anything i have theorised that maybe wrong) But i shall best describe what i found, what i think and what i can and can't confirm, simply because no one else has bothered to do so.... and frankly.. the lives the 222 has saved.. well clearly someone should....


What is "above" is detailed FACT, What is "below" is patched THEORY and Facts.

The 222 CN's range from 47001 to 47099, however 47090 to 47098 have never been registered, but 47099 was. It's often begged the question could the missing models have been turned into top secret helicopters. It's more likely they where just never built and the running gear fabricated for them was used in the ACAP project, known as the Model D-292. It's first flight was on the 30th of August 1985. Three ACAP prototypes where built, One for flying, one for ground testing and one that was made just for a drop crash test.

Bell D-292 ACAP (c) Bell textron

It's worth remembering that before the 222 it's self had flown on the 13th of August 1976 that bell had already been experimenting with the T bar tail and the General Electric engines on the Model 409 dubbed the YAH-63. You can pretty much see the impact using the general electric engines would of had on the 222 aesthetics by this photo and the photo of the D-306 static shell.

Bell YAH-63 (c) Bell textron

The YAH-63 first flew on the 1st of October 1975. Again they created three of these prototypes, i believe two of them still exist, the third was probably used in a drop test. Two of the three prototypes could be flown.

Bell YAH-63 (c) Bell textron

This Model 409 / YAH-63 was another project that failed like the 222 Strapdown and the ACAP and bell simply just carried on with the development of the 222 with the new 222B.

Bell 222B - 47147 Registration ZK-HZQ (c) ????

Lycoming had learnt a lot since the 222 production run and because of that the Bell 222B had more powerful engines. Bell had also learnt some things and made some random changes to the production of the 222B that where not part of the original 222.

The 222B main rotor mast was taller, the main rotor blades had 3 trim tabs rather than two, they implemented the use of stabilizer fins under the sponsoons, they also made changes to the end of the tail. The 222B also only had a DC electrical system while the 222 supported AC and DC current.

They only constructed 26 of the 222B model then moved onto the 222UT. The UT stands for Utility Twin.

Bell 222UT C/N 47522 OY-HIC

The UT was the most successful of the Bell 222 range, though only 74 where made in comparison to the 90 Bell 222 models. But the 222UT proved to be a strong contender with the air ambulance companies in America and are still very popular in South Africa today.

I think many would agree the most memorable Bell 222 was C/N 47085 which portrayed the Airwolf helicopter, and today the series still has a large following of fans.

Bell 222 C/N 47085 N3176S (c) Stan McClain

The 222UT concept actually started with the first Bell 222 Production model C/N 47006 (which had previously also been used as a test bed for the 222B modifications)  You can see the difference between this and the standard UT landing struts and also see it still has the original concept 222/680 rotor mast.

Bell 222/222UT C/N 47006 - N2759D (c) Bell textron

The Bell 222 C/N 47006 would later have the legs removed and the wheels restored as she became the test bed for the Bell 230. C/N 47006 also later became the Bell 430 Prototype and now sits on a raised platform outside Bell headquarters in Canada.

Bell 222/230 C/N 47006 - C-GBLL (c) Bell textron

One of the 222UT production models C/N 47503 was also later rigged as a 230 prototype. You can see in this photo how the exhausts have also been changed.

Bell 222UT/230 C/N 47503 - C-GEXP (c) Bell textron

When the Bell 230 began to retail it came with the choice of wheels or struts, only 38 production models where officially made and then bell moved onto the 430.

TO BE UPDATED.... for now download the database  :)