SE-HGX

Information

Manufactured year 1977
Call sign -
Serial number 8555

Registration history

SE-HGX (? - Now)
06254 (? - Now)
LN-ORP (? - Now)
SE-HGX (? - Now)

Type history

Agusta Bell 206B Jet Ranger II

Operator history

Flygvapenmuseum (? - Now)
Flygvapenmuseum Helicopter Lovers (? - Now)
Patria Helicopters (? - Now)
Statens Försvarshistoriska Museer, Flygvapenmuseum (? - Now)

Information

This aircraft was constructed in 1977. It was imported to Scandinavia by the Bell dealer Ostermans Aero AB and sold to the Norwegian company Helitourist AS in September of 1978. The helicopter spent a total of ten years in service with three different Norwegian companies before it was offered for sale in late-1988.

SWEDISH NAVY
The Swedish Navy had been operating ten Jet Rangers (designated HKP 6B) from 1970. However, the organization had suffered the loss of one of them (Y-44) in October of 1988 and was in need of a replacer. The Norwegian Jet Ranger was purchased and imported to Sweden in December of 1988. It was put through a whole set of modifications at Ostermans Aero’s workshop in order to meet the military navy standards, but finally entered service as Y-54 in 1991. The aircraft got a unique look as it was the only naval Jet Ranger that was painted in a camouflage pattern, like the naval Vertol 107s.

The helicopter attached to the 11th Helicopter Division at Berga in southern Stockholm, and later at the 12th Helicopter Division at Säve in Gothenburg. It was mainly used for crew training and lighter utility operations. It was in service until the retirement of the HKP 6Bs in 2003.

Y-54 was the youngest Jet Ranger in the fleet and it had a past in the civil registry, which made the helicopter a suitable candidate when the Air Force Museum wanted an airworthy Jet Ranger for its fleet of flying exhibits. The helicopter was transferred to the civil registry by Patria Helicopters (former Ostermans Aero), but all the military details were kept. It was registered SE-HGX in the spring of 2005 and has since then been a popular display item together with the two civilized HKP 5Bs - SE-JIR and SE-JIS.

Photos

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