Horizon International Flight Academy has signed a purchase agreement for 12 Bell 505 helicopters. Based at Al Ain International Airport Zone and purpose-built for flight training, Horizon uses its Bell-only fleet to provide flight training to local and international students for the civilian and military sector.

CEO Hareb Thani Al Dhaheri says: “The addition of single-engine glass cockpits will enable us to meet the latest technology needs of aspiring pilots and will prepare them to fly with modern helicopters when they are back to their units.”

“It is an incredible privilege to work with the fantastic team at Horizon International Flight Academy,” adds Sameer Rehman, Bell MD for Africa and the Middle East. “Horizon has been a regional force in training helicopter pilots, and its choice of the Bell 505 will further enhance its offering with new technology aircraft. It is an honour to play a part in Horizon's state-of-the-art training, shaping the pilots of tomorrow on an all-Bell fleet of Bell 206s, Bell 407s and Bell 429s.”

Hawker Pacific senior VP Ian Darcy believes that the Bell 505's unique capabilities and efficient operation make it an ideal trainer: “There has been a lot of interest in the Bell 505 as a training aircraft due to its capability, affordability, maintainability and safety features.”

The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X features an integrated glass cockpit, enabling pilots in training to experience modern controls on a single engine aircraft so that they will transition more easily to flying advanced aircraft, such as the Bell 429.