1968 Bell 47
Piston Helicopters
Aircraft Details
Seller reportedAvionics & Equipment
VFRDescription
I think I can claim to be the only professional helicopter salesperson who can say they’ve flown a 47G-3B-1 for a living... and it doesn’t feel that long ago! In the late ’90s, eking out a living in the Australian outback, my friends and I cut our teeth doing tourism and charter work in Bell 47s and KH1 variants. We didn’t know any better, but these days, I doubt the youngsters would be fearless enough to fly such an analogue aircraft. As the genus of the species “helicopter,” the Bell 47 comes with no engine governor, no trim system, no SCAS, and certainly no air conditioning—and you don’t really need them, since I can’t recall ever flying one with the doors on, even in the rain. The Bell 47 builds the best helicopter pilots, with all your senses engaged and your brain and left hand constantly modulating the engine to keep rotor RPM in the green. Nothing, except perhaps a Brantly B2 (and who in their right mind would be seen in that?), will teach you more about flying helicopters and the intricate relationship between power available, RRPM, and airspeed than a Bell 47. You’ll learn to love the smell of AVGAS again, and later in life, a whiff of 100LL will bring back memories of trying to outrun trucks on the highway. A Bell 47 gives you more visibility than an F-16, and you can screw your neck around to inspect the stab bar and linkages while on the fly. The only negative is that your bald spot will remind you if you forget your hat in the truck. Flying a Bell 47 is a joy—it’s engaging, raw, and feels like REAL flying. It will make you a superb pilot, able to transition into any other aircraft with a solid understanding of what really makes helicopters work.
Engine
150 hours TSO Model: Lycoming VO-540-B1B (VO-540 series) Type: 6-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally-opposed, carbureted piston engine
Interior
Leather seats in good condition with no money needed to be spent. Coin Matt flooring
Exterior
Surprisingly immaculate... not that there is much cabin to repaint!
Inspection
Undergoing Annual Inspection
Modifications / STCs
• Dual Controls
Description and equipment details provided by the seller. AeroGurus does not verify seller-provided information.
Price Comparison 1 active offer
| Source | Price | Location | Listed | Days on Market | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Volation Limited
aviationtrader.com.au
|
$238,139
$230,000
|
Taylor, Texas, Australia | Apr 03, 2026 | — | Active |
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AeroGurus Data & Analysis
Independent data from FAA, NTSB, and market analysis
About This Bell 47
This 1968 Bell 47 is a piston helicopters with 10,125 hours on the airframe. There are currently 8 47 aircraft listed for sale with asking prices ranging from $160,000 to $265,000. This aircraft is priced above the market average at $238,139.
NTSB records show 0 incidents for this airframe — a clean safety record. There are 8 airworthiness directives applicable to this aircraft type — review AD compliance carefully before purchase. Mechanics have filed 10 service difficulty reports for this type — common maintenance items to discuss during pre-buy.
Pre-Purchase Checklist
Ownership & Registration
Registration number not available.
Location & Ownership
Title Status
No FAA title records
Available for US-registered aircraft only
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry, FAA Civil Aviation Registry (DocIndex). Title data may be delayed. Always verify with an aviation attorney before purchase.
Safety Record
NTSB safety data coming soon.
Airworthiness Directives — Bell 47
ADs are mandatory safety instructions issued by the FAA. 8 recent ADs found for this aircraft type.
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 47B, 47B-3, 47D, 47D-1, 47G, 47G-2, 47G2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A, 47H-1, 47J, 47J-2, 47J-2A, and 47K Helicopters
View full AD →Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 47, 47B, 47B3, 47D, 47D1, 47E, 47G, 47G-2, 47G-2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A, 47H-1, 47J, 47J-2, 47J-2A, and 47K Helicopters
View full AD →Bell Helicopter Textron Model 47D1, 47G, 47G-2, 47G-2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A and Coastal Helicopters, Inc. Model OH-13H (Tomcat Mark 5A, 6B, 6C) Helicopters
View full AD →Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 47B, 47B-3, 47D, 47D-1, 47G, 47G-2, 47G2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A, 47H-1, 47J, 47J-2, 47J-2A, and 47K Helicopters
View full AD →Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 47B, 47B-3, 47D, 47D-1, 47G, 47G-2, 47G-2A, 47G-2A-1, 47G-3, 47G-3B, 47G-3B-1, 47G-3B-2, 47G-3B-2A, 47G-4, 47G-4A, 47G-5, 47G-5A, 47H-1, 47J, 47J-2, 47J-2A, and 47K Helicopters
View full AD →Source: FAA Airworthiness Directives database. Showing most recent ADs for this aircraft type.
Service Difficulty Reports — Bell 47
SDRs are reports filed by mechanics about problems found during maintenance. 10 recent reports for this aircraft type.
ELASTOMERIC FEATURE OF ROD-END BEARING FAILED CAUSING LATERAL PLAY OF BEARING AND PROTRUDING SHIMS DAMAGED BLADE LAG DAMPER LUG.
DURING LOW LEVEL CROP APPLICATION, PILOT HEARD A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY VIBRATION, LANDED ACFT. NOTICED A CRACK IN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GRIP DURING A VISUAL INSPECTION. CRACK WAS APPROX 70 PERCENT ACROSS THE LOWER EAR AT THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE BOLT H...
(PC) PNEUMATIC LINE CAME LOOSE AT THE FCU CAUSING ENGINE SPOOL DOWN IN FLIGHT. NUMERIOUS CSL HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THIS TOPIC, BUT SEEM NOT TO BE BEING FOLLOWED. AN AD SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO ENFORCE COMPLIANCE WITH LINE SECURITY. THIS IS A KNOWN AN...
A PUNCTURE WAS NOTICED ON THE INTAKE SIDE OF THE ROCKER COVER ON CYLINDER NR 1. UPON REMOVAL OF THE ROCKER COVER, A CAP PN 17C19386 WHICH SITS BETWEEN THE EXHAUST VALVE AND EXHAUST ROCKER ARM, WAS FOUND LODGED BETWEEN THE INTAKE COVER AND INTAKE ROC...
PART WAS INSTALLED. ON REVIEW OF AIRCRAFT RECORDS PRIOR TO PLACING IT ON A 135 CERTIFICATE IT WAS NOTED THAT EITHER THERE WAS A TYPO OR SUP PART INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE FSDO CONFIRMED THE SERIAL NUMBER ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2008 AFTER THE MAIN ROTOR...
PART WAS TO REPLACE ANOTHER PART NOW IDENTIFIED AS A SUSPECTED UNAPPROVED PART (SUP). SERIAL NUMBER CT-207 DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN APPROVED PART: INCOMPLETE PAPERWORK, IDENTIFICATION MARKINGS, AND QUESTIONABLE INDICATION OF MANUFACTURE H...
DURING INVESTIGATION OF AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH ACFT LOST POWER AND WAS FORCED TO LAND THE FOLLOWING WAS DISCOVERED: COMPRESSION CHECK REVEALED THE NR 1 CYL WAS LEAKING PAST THE EXHAUST VALVE. (COMPRESSION 45/80). EXAMINATION OF THE CYLINDER REVEALED T...
BEAM - CRACK INDICATION AT EAR END (FPT). HUB - CRACK INDICATIONS AT RADIUS ON STUB ENDS. (K)
BEAM CRACK INDICATION AT EAR END (FPT). HUB - CRACK INDICATIONS AT RADIUS ON STUB ENDS (FMT). (K)
APPROX 100 HRS AGO TRANSMISSION WAS O/H AND NEW PMA GEAR SET WAS INSTALLED S/N GR586A FROM HELICOPTER TECH DURING FLIGHT PILOT HEARD AND FELT NOISE AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND FOUND COOLING FAN DRIVE PULLEY AND APPROX 1.25 INCHES OF THE DRIV...
Source: FAA Service Difficulty Reporting System. Shows maintenance issues reported by mechanics for this aircraft type.
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