Return of the 214ST
Written By Brent Bundy | Retrieved from Vertical Magazine
McDermott Aviation tells Vertical about its plans to put the Bell 214ST back in production.
Among the lineup of impressive helicopters that flew into the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, for Verticon 2025, one of the most anticipated was the Bell 214ST. While not the newest nor most technology-laden model to arrive, the venerable Super Transporter garnered attention for its scarcity — and for rumors that would soon be corroborated. The 214 is to rise once again in the form of a new-build model, with Australia’s John McDermott reigniting production.
During an interview with Vertical at the show, McDermott confirmed the plans, which have been driven by high demand for the type — particularly for aerial firefighting and other utility roles.
McDermott holds the type certificate for the 214, as well as owning all 24 of the flightworthy global fleet from the original 96 helicopters that Bell assembled between 1981 and 1993.
“We were already manufacturing parts for the 214B and 214ST, and the demand is greater than the supply,” McDermott said. “We spoke to some other OEMs in the last two or three years about our options going forward to supply an ever-increasing aerial firefighting and utility demand — and they all wanted us to buy stuff that was not suitable. So, we said, ‘Let’s build the 214ST again.’ ”
First planned as a military helicopter in the late 1970s, the medium-lift twin-engine Bell 214ST evolved from the 214B, known as the “BigLifter.” The ST designation initially stood for “Stretched Twin” but was later modified to mean “Super Transporter”. The original customer and financial backer for the project was the Iranian government, with production also taking place in Iran. However, the subsequent overthrow of the Shah in 1979 canceled the orders and forced Bell to move manufacturing Stateside — along with remarketing the ST as a civilian model.
With a fuselage a full 30 inches (76 centimeters) longer than the single-engine 214 and powered by two General Electric CT7-2 turboshafts, each providing 1,625 shaft horsepower, the ST is able to carry 18 passengers. This capacity exceeded all other civilian helicopters of the era. Because of its impressive performance and load-carrying abilities, the 214ST quickly became popular for aerial firefighting, logging operations, supporting offshore oil rigs, heavy-lift construction work, and a multitude of other activities few other aircraft could complete at that time. The ST remains the largest certified helicopter ever built by Bell – and will only be surpassed once the 525 Relentless receives regulatory approval.
A Firefighting Success
Last year alone, McDermott’s 14 airworthy 214s flew 4,460 hours in 120 days in firefighting operations — primarily in Greece. The fleet had 98.6 percent availability, said McDermott, who added the small loss of flight hours was more often due to parts availability rather than the performance of the helicopter. “We’ve also developed a system where we can scoop saltwater, which is beneficial because Greece has very little fresh water supply.”
McDermott said the targeted utility market is 35 percent undersupplied in terms of fleet size, with the sheer performance of the ST a leading factor in both the demand and the decision to bring it back. In its current configuration, it can carry 3,200 liters (845 US gallons) of water in its external tank, or 3.5 tons on a cargo hook.
“We simplified the aircraft, we ‘skinnied’ it down so it’s a lot lighter than it was originally delivered,” said McDermott. “We’ve made it purpose-built for utility.”
McDermott’s 214ST has an empty weight of approximately 9,200 lb. (4,173 kilograms), a reduction of nearly 100 lb. (45 kg) from original production. New models will be outfitted with either General Electric CT-7E/F or Safran Aneto engines, accompanied by a Genesys avionics suite. They will also be equipped with higher skid gear to accommodate the under-belly water tank.
The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 17,500 lb. (7,940 kg), but McDermott is aiming for an 18,500 lb. (8,390 kg) MTOW when the company begins manufacturing new models.
“We’ve removed 1,000 lb. [454 kg of weight],” he said. “To go any lower, we’ll have to start removing rivets!”
McDermott also pointed out an additional advantage of the 214ST: “Rescue and capacity-wise, the closest aircraft to us is probably the Black Hawk and, while it is a good aircraft, it is a restricted category and has other limitations. We can do heavy lifting, but we can also go out and do search-and-rescue and carry firefighters because we are in the transport category.”
While McDermott Aviation owns 24 214STs, 14 of them are currently flying, with another four currently designated works-in-progress. The rest are “waiting for us to work our magic on,” said McDermott. The work is completed at facilities in both Australia and Alabama, with additional maintenance, repair and overhaul support in Canada. McDermott believes that the company’s offering — in terms of both aircraft and support — will fill a much-needed gap in the industry. “What you don’t control, controls you,” he said when explaining the manufacturing and support footprints he has established at his global locations.
McDermott is optimistic that the first six of the revamped existing 214STs will be ready for delivery as early as 2026, at a price point of around $14 to $15 million. They will be followed soon after by new-build models and their subsequent new airframes and engines, likely available for around $20 million.