Bell Helicopter announced that its Bell 505 Jet Ranger X has been given certification by the Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA). After being unveiled in 2013, the five-seat helicopter flew successfully in 20 months. The aircraft has flown more than 1,000 flight hours and undergone rigid activities to make sure customers experience better handling qualities and payload experience.
“Today’s announcement reaffirms Bell Helicopter’s unwavering commitment to product development and the introduction of new and enhanced products to the marketplace,” said Mitch Snyder, Bell Helicopter’s president and CEO. He added, “The Bell 505 is truly a game changer in the short light single market, and we are proud of the excellent team that drove this program through certification as well as our suppliers, customers, certification authorities and the customer advisory panel that worked with us every step of the way.”
The customer response has been astonishing with more than 400 letters of intent worldwide since the first launch in 2014. Every Bell helicopter is backed by the biggest support network in the industry with more than 100 Authorized Customer Service Facilities located around the globe. The Bell 505 is now accessible for expanded support offerings through Bell Helicopter’s Customer Advantage Plans (CAP), which gives customers extensive coverage solutions for daily operations. The plans offer a fixed-price-per-flight-hour that provides predictable maintenance costs, priority access to parts and assemblies, and ease of maintenance and planning.
With a cruise speed of 125 knots (232 km/h), range of 340 nautical miles (629 km) and useful load of 1,470 pounds (667 kg), the Bell 505 is designed to be safe and easy to fly. The reliability, speed, performance, and maneuverability of the Bell 505 is also great which is configured for huge variety of missions and payloads. The flat-floor cabin can be configured to carry up to four passengers or to perform internal cargo missions by removing quick disconnect rear cabin seats and/or copilot seat.
