HAI 2004 - Las Vegas, NV - March 14, 2004 - Bell Helicopter has secured a firm purchase order for its 600th Bell 407. The aircraft will be delivered in 2nd Quarter 2004 to a customer in South Africa. National Airways Corporation (NAC), Bell's sole representative in Southern Africa, secured the sale. The aircraft will be used for corporate transportation in the region.

The Bell 407 is one of Bell Helicopters' most popular and reliable aircrafts it produces. The aircraft was certified by the FAA in February 1996, and deliveries began soon afterwards. The 407 has proven to be a great helicopter for customers in various industry segments including Corporate, Law Enforcement, EMS, and Utility. In November 2003, the existing 407 fleet logged one million flight hours. Operators fly Bell 407 helicopters in 41 countries around the world.

Rick Rosenjack, Sr. Vice President for Commercial Business Sales at Bell Helicopter, remarks "The Bell 407 is an exceptional aircraft and reaching this milestone stands as a testament to its reliability, performance, and popularity. It is an achievement we are extremely proud of and one we intend to build on."

Bell Helicopter Textron, a subsidiary of Textron Inc., is a $1.6 billion, leading producer of commercial and military helicopters, and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell's global workforce of over 7,500 employees serves customers flying Bell aircraft in over 120 countries.

Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a $10 billion multi-industry company with more than 43,000 employees in 40 countries. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, 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, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee, among others. More information is available at www.textron.com.