Bell 505 helicopters delivered to Bahrain
Bell Textron announced the delivery of three Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Bahrain Air Force.
Bell delivered the aircraft during an inspection and acceptance event in February 2023…
Bell Textron announced the delivery of three Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Bahrain Air Force.
Bell delivered the aircraft during an inspection and acceptance event in February 2023 at Bell’s Mirabel facility.
“We are honored to provide the Bahrain Defense Force another premiere Bell asset to train the next generation of Bahrani pilots,” said Sameer Rehman, managing director, Africa and Middle East, Bell.
“Generations of Bahraini pilots have flown in Bell helicopters, and the Bell 505 will continue the tradition of excellence for years to come.”
First 505 helicopters for the country
The Bahrain Defense Force has flown the Bell 212 and multiple generations of AH-1 attack helicopters. This delivery marks the first 505 helicopters for the country and includes a package with training, tooling, and spares.
“With low operating costs and high reliability, the Bell 505 has emerged as a customer favorite to prepare cadets for a safer and more effective transition to advanced helicopters,” Rehman added.
The Kingdom of Bahrain joins other countries in the region employing the Bell 505 as their advanced military trainer of choice. Horizon International Flight Academy in the UAE operates 12 Bell 505s, and the Royal Jordanian Air Force signed an agreement for 10 Bell 505s in November 2022.
More than 30 Bell 505 helicopters operate throughout the Middle East and Africa. Additionally, the Bell 505 is the military training helicopter for the Montenegro Air Force, Republic of Korea Army and Republic of Korea Navy.
Deliveries
Bell has delivered more than 400 Bell 505 helicopters to domestic and international customers. The Bell 505 program has collectively achieved more than 100,000 flight hours. The Bell 505 recently became the world’s first single engine helicopter to fly on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel.
It comes as Bell announced the signed purchase agreement of the first Bell 407GXi helicopter in Taiwan to Ginger Aviation.
Founded by Taiwanese conglomerates in the utilities and aviation industry in 2022, Ginger Aviation plans to use their Bell 407GXi to address a growing demand for helicopter powerline wash and inspections in country.
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