The newly delivered aircraft is the first Bell 505 in Angola and BESTFLY has expressed plans to add a second helicopter to its fleet in later 2022.
Bell Textron Inc., a subsidiary of Textron Inc. announced the delivery of the first Bell 505 to BESTFLY, an Angolan aviation company. Bell Textron signed a purchase agreement for a Bell 505 with BESTFLY in March 2022, with the intent to purchase a second 505 in 2023. The newly delivered helicopter is the first 505 sold in Angola and West Africa.
“We’re proud to take delivery of the very first Bell 505 in West Africa,” said Nuno Pereira, CEO and founder, BESTFLY. “This addition to our fleet will add a new dimension to our service offering and showcases our commitment to further developing the aviation industry in the region. We will be using the new 505 for corporate transportation and sightseeing tours, among other missions. It’s a great aircraft that is incredibly easy to maintain and the customer service from the Bell team has been excellent,” he further added.
The largest private aviation firm in Angola, BESTFLY was founded in 2009 and offers various services, such as aircraft management and charter, catering, flight planning, transfers, and flight handling.
“Alcinda and Nuno Pereira are visionaries in aviation. They have built a formidable business spanning beyond Angola, and that will be further enhanced with the delivery of a new Bell 505,” said Sameer Rehman, Managing Director for Africa and Middle East, Bell. “This aircraft is once again proving its versatility and reliability in this market. We look forward to BESTFLY using the Bell 505 in many innovative ways for all the work they do in the region,” he further added.
The short light single Bell 505 helicopter, first introduced in 2017, has gained enormous popularity worldwide, logging 100,000 flying hours in May of 2022. Currently, 30 505s are in use in Africa and the Middle East, and in August, the platform celebrated the delivery of its 400th worldwide package.
