HAI HELI-EXPO – Louisville, Kentucky (March 2, 2016) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced Able Aerospace Services, located in Mesa, Arizona, as Bell Helicopter’s newest Service Center.

Recently acquired by Textron Aviation, Able provides component repairs, component exchanges and replacement parts, among other support and service offerings for commercial rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft customers around the world. This industry leading expertise, combined with Able’s large inventory of core products, helps aircraft operators and fleet owners of all sizes to safely reduce their operating costs.

“Bell Helicopter has been laser focused on enhancing our aftermarket business to reduce customer operating costs and downtime,” said Glenn Isbell, executive vice president, Customer Support and Services at Bell Helicopter. “Bringing on Able as a Bell Helicopter Service Center reinforces our commitment to delivering strategic, safe and reliable solutions. We are working to take advantage of industry developed repair options for customers, and we believe Able will bring tremendous benefit to our current and future customers.”

"Able's mission of safely reducing aircraft operating costs by providing resourceful component repair, overhaul and approved replacement parts solutions is now significantly enhanced by becoming a Bell Helicopter Service Center," said Lee Benson, chief executive officer, Able Aerospace Services.  "By combining the resources and capabilities of Bell Helicopter and Able, we are now positioned to bring much greater total value to our customers."

As a Bell Helicopter Service Center, Able will be part of the largest support network in the industry which offers customers access to more than one hundred Bell Helicopter Service Centers, or Bell Helicopter Authorized Customer Service Facilities, in 34 countries. Ranked number one by customers for more than 22 consecutive years, Bell Helicopter is committed to having resources where customers operate to speed up delivery of service and support, and give customers access to resources that are easy to reach, know the operating environment and understand their needs.

Since 1982, Able has helped aircraft operators and fleet owners safely reduce operating costs by providing resourceful solutions. More than 20 years after opening their doors, Able continues to expand their capabilities, delivering tremendous value for aircraft parts and maintenance, reducing critical lead times and improving overall aircraft availability.

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About Able Aerospace Services

Able Aerospace Services is a leading supplier of component and MRO services. With headquarters and maintenance facilities on the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (KIWA) in Mesa, Arizona, Able's products and services support commercial and military fixed- and rotor-wing aviation. Able combines 32 years of aviation experience with a staff of more than 500 employees to accomplish its mission: To safely reduce aircraft operating costs by providing resourceful component repair, overhaul and approved replacement parts solutions. Able is certified by numerous airworthiness authorities including the FAA, EASA, ANAC, CAAC, JCAB and others.

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, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information, visit 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.

www.bellhelicopter.com
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Post Office Box 482, Fort Worth, TX 76101-0482