Brantly B-2
| Brantly B-2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Brantly B2B on display at the Helicopter Museum (Weston). | |
| Role | Light Helicopter |
| Manufacturer | Brantly Helicopter Corporation |
| Designer | Newby O. Brantly |
| First flight | 21 February 1953 |
| Introduction | 1958 |
| Status | In production (2011)[1] |
| Number built | 334 |
| Unit cost | |
The Brantly B-2 is an American two-seat light helicopter produced by the Brantly Helicopter Corporation.
Design and development
After the failure of his first design, the Brantly B-1, Newby O. Brantly decided to design a simpler and less complicated helicopter for the private buyer. The B-2 had a single main rotor and an anti-torque tail rotor and first flew on 21 February 1953. This was followed by an improved second prototype that first flew on 14 August 1956.
The B-2A was introduced with a modified cabin, and the B-2B had a larger 180 hp fuel-injected engine. The B-2B has a three-bladed articulated main rotor and an all-metal fuselage, it can be operated with skid, wheel or float landing gear. The piston engine is fitted vertically in the fuselage behind the cabin.
Operational history
The basic design has remained in production for over 50 years.[1] The United States Army evaluated the B-2 (designated the YHO-3) in 1958, although it was not ordered. Introduced in the early 1970s, an improved larger version with five seats was designated the Brantly 305.[4]
Variants
- Brantly B-2: Two-seat single-engined light utility helicopter.
- Brantly YHO-3: United States military designation for the B2.
- Brantly B-2A: Initial production version.
- Brantly B-2B: Improved version, fitted with new metal rotor blades, and an uprated fuel-injected 180 hp Lycoming piston engine.
- Brantly 305: Larger five-seat version.
- H-2: Designation of the B-2B built by Brantly-Hynes between 1976 and 1979.
- Brantly B-2J10: Projected tandem-rotor version with longer and wider fuselage for carrying passengers and/or cargo. Unbuilt.
- V750 UAV: An UAV version developed by Qingdao Haili Helicopters Co. Ltd., a joint venture between Brantly International Inc, Qingdao Wenquan International Aviation Investment Co., Ltd, and Qingdao Brantly Investment Consultation Co., Ltd.[5] Maiden flight was completed in May 7, 2011, and received an order from an unnamed customer[6]
Operators
Military operators
United States
- United States Army: acquired five B-2s for evaluation under the designation YHO-3 in the late 1950s. Operated H-5T unmanned variant as target from 1986.[7]
Accidents and incidents
The B-2 has had 21 fatal accidents between February 1964 and August 2009.[8]
Survivors
- B-2 N2143U was purchased in 1962 and flown by Dean Svec for all of its total of 2,108 hrs. It was retired in 2006 and is now on permanent public display at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland, Ohio.
A B2B belonging to the Flying Gyrocopter and Old Aircraft museum at Midden-Zeeland, Netherlands was reportedly about to fly again November 2009.[9]
A Greek road-assistance company,named EXPRESS SERVICE based in Thessaloniki,operated a B2B Brantly-Hynes helicopter for several years.That helicopter started flying in 1978 and had the Greek registration number SX-AHH.First captain was the pilot Kaltekis Spyridon.
Specifications (B-2B with skid landing gear)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976–77 [10]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 (plus 1 pilot)
- Length: 28 ft (8.41 m[11])
- Rotor diameter: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m)
- Height: 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
- Disc area: 442 ft² (41.06 m²)
- Empty weight: 1,020 lb (463 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 1,670 lb (757 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Avco Lycoming IVO-360-A1A air-cooled flat-four piston, 180 hp (134 kw)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 100 mph (87 knots, 161 km/h) at sea level
- Cruise speed: 90 mph (78 knots, 145 km/h) (75% power)
- Range: 250 miles (220 nmi; 400 km)
- Service ceiling: 10,800 ft (3,290 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,900 ft/min (9.7 m/s)
See also
- Related lists
References
- 1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 189. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- ↑ "Helicopter Brantly". Flying Magazine: 108. May 1962.
- ↑ "Brantly B-2". aviastar.org.
- ↑ Frawley, Gerard. The International Directory of Civil Aircraft. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 1997. ISBN 1-875671-26-9.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ Harding 1990, pp. 73–74.
- ↑ "R44 Accident Database". Griffin Helicopters. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ↑ FlyPast, November 2009, p.17
- ↑ Taylor 1976, p. 252.
- ↑ Overall length
- Bibliography
- Frawley, Gerard. The International Directory of Civil Aircraft. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 1997. ISBN 1-875671-26-9.
- Harding, Stephen. U.S Army Aircraft since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.
- Taylor, John W.R.. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976–77. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0-354-00538-3.
Further reading
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). London: Orbis Publishing.
- 'Aviation Week, 1965
- "British-built Brantlys?" FLIGHT, 30 January 1959
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brantly B-2. |