Fuselage

The fuselage constitutes the main structure of the helicopter. It is aerodynamic to reduce drag. Some areas are weather tight to protect operators, passengers, cargo, and delicate equipment against the elements. All other systems are attached to, or contained in, the fuselage.

The main structural load bearing elements are integral to the major assemblies. The keel beams are machined aluminum beams. They are located to the left and right of the centerline and span the forward and mid fuselage. They support the cockpit and cabin floor, include the supports for the skid landing gear, and the aft attaching point for the truss assembly. The sides of the flight controls tunnel are attached to the keel beams at the bottom and to the forward attaching points of the truss assembly at the top. Being located directly below the transmission, this assembly forms the principal load bearing structure of the helicopter. The truss assembly and the tailboom provide a lever for the anti-torque control. The descriptions of the major assemblies follow.

Forward Fuselage

The forward fuselage consists of the structural elements from the nose cone to the bulkhead behind the cabin. It provides a weather tight area for operators and passengers, a strong, light, and streamlined structure, practical access doors with a large, unobstructed floor, and large windshields and windows for superior visibility. For a system discussion and/or description, refer to Forward Fuselage.

Mid Fuselage

The mid fuselage consists of the structural elements from the bulkhead behind the cabin to the bulkhead behind the baggage compartment, and from the bottom skin to the top of the baggage compartment. It houses the fuel storage, baggage compartment, and flight controls tunnel. For a system discussion and/or description, refer to Mid Fuselage.

Aft Fuselage

DO NOT CHANGE OR REPAIR THE TRUSS ASSEMBLY. THE TRUSS ASSEMBLY IS A FATIGUE CRITICAL PART. ALSO, DO NOT PUT OR INSTALL PARTS ON THE TRUSS ASSEMBLY THAT ARE NOT APPROVED BY BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON (BHT). IF YOU DO NOT OBEY THESE INSTRUCTIONS, THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE HELICOPTER WILL CHANGE AND THIS WILL CAUSE INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.

The aft fuselage consists of the structural and aerodynamic elements from aft of the baggage compartment to the tailboom attachment, and also the structural elements above the baggage compartment. It supports the power plant, drivetrain, and contains most of the avionics equipment. For a system discussion and/or description, refer to Aft Fuselage.

Roof

The roof consists of the access panels that protect the drivetrain and the top of the mid-fuselage. For a system discussion and/or description, refer to Roof.

Tailboom

The tailboom consists of the structural and aerodynamic elements aft of the aft fuselage, excluding the stabilizers. It supports the anti-torque control and its drivetrain, and it also supports the stabilizers. For a system discussion and/or description, refer to Tailboom.