An Israeli operator has signed for two Bell 505 Jet Ranger Xs, which will be used for corporate transportation. More than 340 units have now been ordered globally.

“The Bell 505 is gaining traction in Israel,” says Jakub Hoda, Bell md for Europe and Russia. “We believe that this helicopter is the right fit for the region and we expect sales to continue to grow for this aircraft.”

The Jet Ranger X first flew in November 2014 and is a five-seat, single engine turbine helicopter featuring Bell's latest technology and half a century of design innovation. It has a fully flat floor, increased cabin volume and clam shell doors, which are designed to provide configuration flexibility.

The customer-driven design of the aircraft is based on safety, performance and affordability. Pilot workload is reduced by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine with dual channel FADEC, and the aircraft features a high inertia rotor system delivering auto rotation capabilities.