Forth Worth, TX - April 26, 2013 - Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), visited with many customers and enthusiasts last week in San Pedro Totoltepec, Mexico at the 10th annual AeroExpo held April 18 to April 20 at Toluca International Airport. Five Bell Helicopter aircraft were displayed at the event, including three corporate-configured Bell 407s, as well as a Bell 429 and a Bell 412, both configured for offshore oil and gas operations.
"There are remarkable opportunities for growth in the helicopter industry in Latin America. This year at AeroExpo, we signed purchase agreements for seven aircraft, demonstrating the growing demand for reliable rotorcraft across all segments in Mexico and beyond," said Jay Ortiz, managing director, Latin America Commercial Business.
"We attend AeroExpo every year to connect with our existing and potential customers in Mexico, ensuring we are in touch with their mission needs. The Bell 407, 429 and 412 are three amazing and versatile platforms that have been met with interest and excitement throughout the show," said Ortiz.
The Bell 407 integrates reliability, speed and maneuverability with a cabin configurable for a variety of missions from air medical to oil and gas operations. Its Rolls Royce 250-C47B turbine FADEC engine delivers exceptional hot and high performance with the ability to cruise at 140 knots. The 407's spacious cabin seats up to six with club-passenger seating or can be reconfigured with abundant capacity for specialized equipment. The Bell 407 offers a smooth, quiet ride and superior hover performance with an all-composite four bladed main rotor system with "soft-in-plane" hub. Safety features include a rupture resistant fuel system, engine exceedance monitoring, rollover bulkheads and a collective mounted throttle for power and control at the pilot's fingertips.
Certified for single or dual pilot IFR, the Bell 429 delivers exceptional speed, range, hover performance and enhanced safety margins. The Bell 429's state-of-the-art fully-integrated glass cockpit hosts two or three multi-function displays, dual digital autopilot and an integrated electronic data recorder. Its advanced drive system delivers power, superb performance and best-in-class WAAS navigation enabling point-in-space approaches. The Bell 429's spacious cabin is easily configured for any mission with 5.78 m3 (204 ft3) of useable volume, a large, flat floor and quick change interior. The Bell 429 offers exceptional value as the first helicopter certified through the MSG-3 process, resulting in reduced maintenance costs for operators.
The Bell 412 is a daily workhorse in the most extreme climates around the world. Certified for single pilot IFR, the Bell 412 provides multi-mission flexibility with expansive cabin for cargo and/or personnel, a duel digital automatic flight control system, and excellent hot and high performance. Wide opening 2.32 m (7.7 ft) doors accommodate forklift loading into a 6.2 m3 (220 ft3) cabin with seating for 13 passengers and two crew. The Bell 412's Pratt & Whitney PT6T-3D Twin Pac® and proven drive system offer reliability with 4,000 and 5,000 TBOs respectively. In addition, a BLR Strake and FastFin® deliver improved hover, cross wind and hot and hot performance in challenging conditions.
About Bell Helicopter
Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; performance issues with key suppliers or subcontractors; difficult conditions in the financial markets which may adversely impact our customers' ability to fund or finance purchases of our products; and continued demand softness or volatility in the markets in which we do business.
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