On October 14, 1960, the United States Navy solicited responses from 25 aircraft manufacturers to a request for proposals (RFP) on behalf of the Army for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH).

In addition to the image problem, the helicopter lacked cargo space and only provided cramped seating for the planned three passengers.

[10] A Bell executive contributed to this redesign by drawing on a sketch two lines extending the fuselage to where it meets the tail.

[16] The first Bell 206A flew on January 10, 1966, and the aircraft was revealed later that month at the Helicopter Association of America (HAA) convention.

Delivery of the JetRanger to customers began on January 13, 1967, with the first aircraft being purchased by Harry Holly, CEO of the Hollymatic Corporation and previous owner of a Bell Ranger.

Its early adoption was driven by the booming resource industries of the time, particularly in oil and gas exploration, mining, and forestry.

Its light weight, combined with the ability to land in rugged, remote locations, made it an ideal tool for transporting geologists, surveyors, and equipment to otherwise inaccessible areas of Canada's vast wilderness.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the JetRanger became a critical part of exploration in northern Canada, including the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Arctic regions, where harsh weather conditions and rough terrain demanded a helicopter that could perform in all environments.

[18] In 1983, Australian businessman Dick Smith became the first helicopter pilot to complete a solo trip around the world in 260 flight hours.

[19] On July 22, 1994, Ron Bower landed his 206B-3 (N206AJ) at Hurst, Texas, setting a new record for around-the-world flight by a helicopter.

They had been video recording brush fires in Santa Barbara County in the station's helicopter and were leaving the area.

[23] On October 25, 1991, a Bell 206 carrying rock music concert promoter Bill Graham, his girlfriend Melissa Gold, and pilot Steve Kahn crashed into a transmission tower west of Vallejo, California, killing everyone on board.

On January 12, 1994, an Agusta-Bell 206A-1 crashed while attempting to land at the helipad of the Central Command headquarters in Neve Yaakov, killing all four occupants on board, including IDF Major General Nehemiah Tamari.

[27][28] On March 9, 2009, Bangladesh Army aviation unit Bell 206L flown by pilot Lt Col MD Shahidul Islam and co-pilot Major Saif crashed at Rouha in Kalihati sub-district.

[29] On August 20, 2014, Guatemala's Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Rudy Ortiz was killed when his Bell 206 crashed.

[30] On February 11, 2019, Brazilian journalist Ricardo Boechat and the pilot were killed when Bell 206B, PT-HPG, crashed into a truck while attempting an emergency landing on a highway.