Bell Textron has delivered the 505th Bell 505 aircraft to North America-based operator Austin Claborn. The aircraft will be configured for corporate transportation.

“To mark this historic programme milestone, Bell wanted to ensure the 505th delivery was a memorable event for the many employees that have worked on this programme, our suppliers and our Bell 505 customers,” says director, North America sales Lane Evans. “The Bell 505 was designed to provide customers with unmatched cost-of-operations and performance for its value. Mr Claborn has been a Bell 505 operator since 2021 and with the upgrade to the latest platform variant, Bell is proud the aircraft continues to live up to our customers’ expectations."

Certified by Transport Canada in 2016, the Bell 505 is one of Bell’s fastest growing commercial programmes to date. The fleet has surpassed more than 185,000 flight hours with aircraft operating on six continents worldwide.

“The Bell 505 has been nothing short of fantastic for us,” says Claborn. “The technology in the cockpit makes the aircraft incredibly reliable and easy to fly. The team at Bell has been exemplary in its dedication to customer service, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the 505th delivery.”

The delivery ceremony took place at the Bell Textron Canada facility in Mirabel, Quebec where more than 1,400 highly skilled employees are responsible for Bell's current commercial production line. To date, the company has built and delivered more than 5,800 commercial helicopters.