Description
I think I can claim to be the only professional helicopter salesperson who can say they’ve flown a 47G-3B-1 for a living... and it doesn’t feel that long ago! In the late ’90s, eking out a living in the Australian outback, my friends and I cut our teeth doing tourism and charter work in Bell 47s and KH1 variants. We didn’t know any better, but these days, I doubt the youngsters would be fearless enough to fly such an analogue aircraft. As the genus of the species “helicopter,” the Bell 47 comes with no engine governor, no trim system, no SCAS, and certainly no air conditioning—and you don’t really need them, since I can’t recall ever flying one with the doors on, even in the rain.
The Bell 47 builds the best helicopter pilots, with all your senses engaged and your brain and left hand constantly modulating the engine to keep rotor RPM in the green. Nothing, except perhaps a Brantly B2 (and who in their right mind would be seen in that?), will teach you more about flying helicopters and the intricate relationship between power available, RRPM, and airspeed than a Bell 47. You’ll learn to love the smell of AVGAS again, and later in life, a whiff of 100LL will bring back memories of trying to outrun trucks on the highway. A Bell 47 gives you more visibility than an F-16, and you can screw your neck around to inspect the stab bar and linkages while on the fly. The only negative is that your bald spot will remind you if you forget your hat in the truck.
Flying a Bell 47 is a joy—it’s engaging, raw, and feels like REAL flying. It will make you a superb pilot, able to transition into any other aircraft with a solid understanding of what really makes helicopters work.Specifications
Year1968
ManufacturerBELL
Model47G-3B-1
ConditionUsed
FlightRulesVFR
Total Time10,125
Year Robinson Overhaul Completed1968
Airframe NotesStripped and painted in 2006. The paint looks the same today as it did when it was done.
Main Rotor Blade Time Remaining1080
Main Rotor Hub Time Remaining465
Main Rotor Gearbox Time Remaining600
Anti-Torque SystemTail Rotor
Tail Rotor Blade Time Remaining1902
Tail Rotor Gearbox Time Remaining678
Engine 1 Make/ModelLYCOMING
Engine Horsepower208.8 kW
Engine 1 Time150 SMOH
Engine Notes150 hours TSO
Model: Lycoming VO-540-B1B (VO-540 series)
Type: 6-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally-opposed, carbureted piston engine
Modifications/ConversionsTexas Sprag Mount
Upgraded Jasco Alternator
Airwolf External Oil Filter Kit
Flight Deck Manufacturer/ModelGARMIN
Avionics/RadiosGarmin VHF Radio
Garmin Transponder
Moving Map.
Dual ControlsYes
Additional EquipmentDual Controls
Year Painted2006
Exterior NotesSurprisingly immaculate... not that there is much cabin to repaint!
Year Interior2006
ConfigurationPassenger
Number of Seats3
Bubble WindowsYes
Interior NotesLeather seats in good condition with no money needed to be spent.
Coin Matt flooring
Inspection StatusUndergoing Annual Inspection
AirworthyYes
Year1968|
ManufacturerBELL|
Model47G-3B-1|
ConditionUsed|
FlightRulesVFR|
Total Time10,125|
Year Robinson Overhaul Completed1968|
Airframe NotesStripped and painted in 2006. The paint looks the same today as it did when it was done.|
Main Rotor Blade Time Remaining1080|
Main Rotor Hub Time Remaining465|
Main Rotor Gearbox Time Remaining600|
Anti-Torque SystemTail Rotor|
Tail Rotor Blade Time Remaining1902|
Tail Rotor Gearbox Time Remaining678|
Engine 1 Make/ModelLYCOMING|
Engine Horsepower208.8 kW|
Engine 1 Time150 SMOH |
Engine Notes150 hours TSO
Model: Lycoming VO-540-B1B (VO-540 series)
Type: 6-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally-opposed, carbureted piston engine|
Modifications/ConversionsTexas Sprag Mount
Upgraded Jasco Alternator
Airwolf External Oil Filter Kit|
Flight Deck Manufacturer/ModelGARMIN|
Avionics/RadiosGarmin VHF Radio
Garmin Transponder
Moving Map.|
Dual ControlsYes|
Additional EquipmentDual Controls|
Year Painted2006|
Exterior NotesSurprisingly immaculate... not that there is much cabin to repaint!|
Year Interior2006|
ConfigurationPassenger|
Number of Seats3|
Bubble WindowsYes|
Interior NotesLeather seats in good condition with no money needed to be spent.
Coin Matt flooring|
Inspection StatusUndergoing Annual Inspection|
AirworthyYes|