Bell 214ST

Common card · No. 289027

The Bell 214ST is a medium-lift, twin-engine helicopter descended from Bell Helicopter's ubiquitous UH-1 Huey series. Though it shares a type number with the somewhat-related Bell 214, the Bell 214ST is larger and of quite different appearance. Prior to the Bell 525 Relentless, it was the company's largest helicopter. The Bell 214ST emerged during the 1970s as an Iranian-financed development of the smaller and less powerful Bell 214. It was originally intended to be produced In Iran, however, following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, the sizable order that had been made by the country evaporated; nevertheless, Bell persisted with the programme, the maiden flight taking place on 21 July 1979 and type certification being secured in 1982. During the early 1980s, Bell reoriented the Bell 214ST towards civil sales. This civilian designation permitted the type's sale to Iraq in spite of an arms embargo. Bell did produce a militarised variant of the type, which was also procured by several other...

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