MBB-Kawasaki BK 117

Light Utility Helicopter (LUH)

Germany | 1982

"Developed from the West German MBB Bo 105 series, the BK 117 was the product of a German-Japanese joint venture."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/24/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the MBB-Kawasaki BK 117 B-2 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).

2 x Textron Lycoming LTS 101-750B-1 turboshaft engines developing 595 horsepower each and driving a four-bladed main rotor with two-bladed tail rotor unit.
Propulsion

155 mph
250 kph | 135 kts
Max Speed

15,010 ft
4,575 m | 3 miles
Service Ceiling

336 miles
540 km | 292 nm
Operational Range

2,165 ft/min
660 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the MBB-Kawasaki BK 117 B-2 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).

1
(MANNED)
Crew

32.5 ft
9.90 m
O/A Length

36.1 ft
(11.00 m)
O/A Width

12.6 ft
(3.85 m)
O/A Height

3,814 lb
(1,730 kg)
Empty Weight

7,385 lb
(3,350 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the MBB-Kawasaki BK 117 family line.

BK 117 - Base Series Designation.

BK 117 S-01

BK 117 P-3/P-5

BK 117 A-1

BK 117 A-3

BK 117 A-3M

BK 117 A-4

BK 117 B-1

BK 117 B-1C

BK 117 B-2

BK 117 C-1

NBK 117

BK 117-850D2

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the MBB-Kawasaki BK 117. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 443 Units
Contractor(s): Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm (MBB) - West Germany / Kawasaki - Japan

[ Australia; Bophuthatswana; Canada; Chile; Ciskei; Colombia; West Germany (Germany); Greece; Japan; Kenya; Madagascar; New Zealand; Peru; Russia; Spain; South Africa; Taiwan; Transkei; United States; Venda ]

Relative Max Speed

Hi: 200mph

Lo: 100mph

Aircraft Max Listed Speed (155mph).

Graph Average of 150 MPH.

Era Crossover

Showcasing Aircraft Era Crossover (if any)

Max Alt Visualization

Production Comparison

443

36183

44000

Entry compared against Ilyushin IL-2 (military) and Cessna 172 (civilian) total production.

MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

Aviation Timeline

EarlyYrs

WWI

Interwar

WWII

ColdWar

Postwar

Modern

Future

♦

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to airborne requirements.

MEDEVAC

SEARCH & RESCUE

VIP SERVICE

RECONNAISSANCE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
The MBB-Kawasaki BK 117 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) appears in the following collections:

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