Japan-based operator Heli Service has purchased its third Bell 505 from Bell Textron which, when delivered, will join a fleet that includes two other units delivered in December 2018 and September 2019, plus a Bell 206. The aircraft will primarily be used for agricultural purposes.

Established in 2008 and based in Tochigi Prefecture, Heli Service offers crop spraying, charter flights, aerial filming and photography, disaster relief and aircraft leasing. It also operates two hangars at Tochigi Heliport.

There are over 20 active Bell 505s in Japan and more than 505 Bell 505s have been delivered worldwide since it hit the market in 2017. It is one of the most versatile aircraft in the short light single class and is popular with corporate customers and public safety agencies thanks to its dual channel FADEC, Safran Arrius 2R engine and Garmin G1000H NXi avionics suite. An open cabin design, glass cockpit, wraparound windows and Synthetic Vision technology help improve the pilot’s situational awareness as well.

In February 2023, the Bell 505 also became the world’s first single engine helicopter to take flight on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel.