The story
The BK 117 was a rare thing in aviation: a true 50/50 partnership between Germany and Japan. It inherited the Bo 105's rigid rotor, added a bigger cabin with rear clamshell doors, and became the template for the modern air ambulance — its direct descendant, the H145, still dominates that world.
It evolved into today's Airbus H145 — the standard helicopter of emergency medicine on several continents.
Quick answers
How do you identify a BK 117?
Boxy cabin with skids and rear clamshell doors, high tail boom. Looks like a stretched Bo 105 — because structurally, it partly is.
What does a BK 117 sound like?
Twin turbines with a firm rotor slap — the classic sound of a hospital helipad.
How fast is the BK 117?
Top speed is 135 kts.
How many people does the BK 117 carry?
Typical configuration: 1-2 crew + up to 8 passengers.
How far can the BK 117 fly?
Range is about 295 nmi.
How big is the BK 117?
It is 42 ft 8 in long and 36 ft 1 in across the rotor.
When did the BK 117 first fly?
Its first flight was in 1979.
How many BK 117s have been built?
443 (original series) built.
How rare is a BK 117 in Bogey?
COMMON. Everyday traffic. You will catch plenty of these, and every first catch still counts. Your first BK 117 catch is worth 25 points.
