Bell 206 Jetranger
Single Turboshaft
The Bell 206 JetRanger is one of the most successful light turbine helicopters ever built, with over 7,300 delivered since its first flight in 1962. Originally developed as Bell's entry in a U.S. Army light observation helicopter competition (which it lost to the Hughes OH-6), the design was refined for the civilian market and became an instant commercial success. Its combination of reliability, relatively low operating costs, and docile handling made it the helicopter that brought turbine power within reach of corporate operators, air taxi services, and smaller police departments throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The JetRanger's single Allison 250 turboshaft engine produces around 420 shaft horsepower, giving it a cruise speed near 120 knots and a range of approximately 430 nautical miles with standard fuel. The cabin seats four passengers plus pilot, though five-seat configurations exist. Maximum operating altitude is around 13,500 feet, and the type can hover out of ground effect at roughly 6,000 feet on a standard day at gross weight. Thousands remain in service worldwide across an enormous range of missions: executive transport, emergency medical services, pipeline patrol, aerial photography, flight training, and agricultural work. The military OH-58 Kiowa variant served the U.S. Army for decades in reconnaissance and light attack roles. SkyMeter has tracked 1,609 flights across 544 airframes and 283 operators, with AIR EVAC EMS INC the largest observed operator.
Safety in context
The incident rate counts flights with ANY safety event detected by SkyMeter: go-arounds (a routine response, not a failure), unstable-approach gate flags (advisory thresholds), rejected takeoffs (the system working as designed), and runway events. It is NOT an accident rate or fatality rate. For accident statistics, refer to the NTSB Aviation Accident Database (USA) or the Aviation Safety Network. See methodology for what each event type measures.
Performance
Speed envelope & approach
Dimensions
Airframe geometry
Weight & identification
Operating limits
Top operators
By fleet size · last 7 days
Safety profile
Flagged flights · last 7 days
Family
Related variants
Recent flights
Real flights of B06 · airborne ≥ 20 min













