Fort Worth, TX (March 14, 2014) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced Helisul Air Taxi ordered a new Bell 429 and also signed purchase agreements for three new Bell 505 Jet Ranger X aircraft at Heli-Expo 2014, further adding to the company’s growing fleet. This was part of the nearly 200 total agreements announced at the end of the show.
"The Bell 429, in addition to its comfort and state-of-the-art technology, provides the capability of multi-mission operations associated with a low operational cost,” said Helisul President Eloy Biesuz. “These features align very well with our operational needs.”
Based in Foz do Iguaçu, Helisul Air Taxi is the largest air taxi company in Brazil and one of the largest in the world. Featuring a fleet of nearly 50 aircraft, Helisul flies multiple missions, including tourism and VIP.
“The Bell 429 is an incomparable aircraft, featuring a glass cockpit, luxury seating and superior speed and performance,” said Jay Ortiz, Bell Helicopter’s managing director of Latin America commercial business. “We are excited Helisul can now provide customers with a smooth, quiet ride in the one of the most spacious and luxurious cabins available. We also look forward to them being one of the first companies to begin operating the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X in the near future.”
The Bell 429 is one of the most advanced light twin helicopters ever developed, delivering exceptional speed, range and hover performance, as well as comfort and cost management unmatched by any other aircraft in its category. It is highly configurable and delivers a range of 380 miles and cruise speed of 153 knots, making it the ideal choice for multi-mission needs. It is approved for an increased gross weight of 7,500 pounds in 18 countries, including Brazil.
The Bell 429 also offers exceptional flight performance with a fully integrated glass cockpit, advanced drive system and best-in-class WAAS navigation and IFR capability. Additional safety features include a collective mounted throttle, damage tolerant hub and rotor system, and energy attenuating seats. The Bell 429 is the first helicopter certified through the MSG-3 process, resulting in reduced maintenance costs for operators.
The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is a five-seat, single-engine, turbine helicopter leveraging Bell Helicopter’s proven technology and nearly half a century of experience defining the SLS market with the original Bell JetRanger. With a cruise speed of 125 knots, range of 360 nautical miles and useful load of 1,500 pounds, the Bell 505 is designed to be the safest and easiest aircraft to fly in its category while still remaining affordably priced. It is a multi-mission helicopter, designed to meet a wide variety of missions with its fully flat floor, increased cabin volume and clam shell doors that will provide customers the configuration flexibility needed in today's market. It can support a wide variety of operations categories, including the utility segment, corporate and private owners, and training schools. Customers can visit http://www.bell505.com to select specific models and see pricing options before ordering their aircraft directly online.
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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 http://www.textron.com.
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