Bell Textron has delivered the 60th Bell 505 aircraft in Europe. “Delivering sixty 505s to Europe is an exciting milestone for Bell,” says Patrick Moulay, senior VP of international business. “This achievement is a testament to the performance of the Bell 505 and our customers' confidence in the aircraft. Beyond the success of the Bell 505 in Europe, we see momentum in demand for the aircraft across international markets. We look forward to seeing more growth in the future.”

The Bell 505 is known for its versatility and reliability. The platform has broad appeal and operates in a wide range of missions such as private owner, utility, aerial inspections, public safety, military training, and tourism. In 2020, Bell delivered more 505 aircraft to Europe than to any other continent; some of these customers include: ABR Invest, Elicompany, Montenegro Air Force, Centaurium Aviation and Mountainflyers.

“With the 505, sightseeing passengers fit nicely and enjoy great front and side visibility. The passengers have much more comfort and better views for the money they're paying,” comments Christoph Graf, pilot and CEO of Mountainflyers in Switzerland.

“When I look at the Bell 505, it doesn't look like other Bell products, but once you get in and start flying, you know right away it was designed by Bell. It's a simple, light weight aircraft, but it has the ruggedness and reliability of a Bell product. You can count on it,” adds Cristian Forghieri, co-owner and flight operations director of Elicompany in Italy.

Bell supports European customers regionally by delivering aircraft out of its Bell support centre in Prague, supplying parts out of the Bell supply centre in Amsterdam and offering Bell 505 training through HeliDeal in France. Its teams look forward to increasing the number of Bell aircraft in the region and expanding its European footprint.