Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, has announced the delivery of a Bell 412EPI to Chongqing General Aviation (CQGA). The helicopter is the first certified Bell 412 type aircraft to operate in China and will be used for fire-fighting missions. A delivery ceremony was held at Bell Helicopter’s customization and delivery center in Piney Flats, Tenn. on April 22.
“We are pleased to deliver the most rugged and reliable medium helicopter on the market to Chongqing General Aviation,” said Chad Nimrick, general manager of Bell Helicopter’s Piney Flats Customization and Delivery Center. “This will be the first Bell 412 type aircraft in China, and we are certain interest in the Bell 412EPI will only grow as its superior performance and capabilities are demonstrated during life-saving missions.”
“We are proud to accept this fine aircraft into our operations, and we are excited to deploy its integrated avionics, payload and lift capabilities to complete firefighting, forest protection, emergency rescue, and law enforcement missions,” said Gong Wei, chairman of CQGA. “We look forward to continued partnership with Bell to bring helicopter and maintenance capabilities to China as the demand for helicopters grows.”
Established in April 2012 by the Chongqing General Aviation Group (CGAG), CQGA’s business scope includes tourism, air ambulance, forestry support, aerial advertising, agriculture support, aerial photography, VIP flights, law enforcement support, firefighting, and charters. With a 43,000 sq. ft. CAAC part 145 certified maintenance facility, CQGA offers non-specialized maintenance capabilities for Bell 407 aircraft. The company is working towards becoming a Bell Helicopter Customer Support Facility, with a long-term goal is to be the largest provider of third party helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul services in China.
The new Bell 412 EPI was outfitted with a fire-fighting water tank, Bambi bucket, hoist, cargo hook, radar altimeter, and search light and will join CQGA’s fleet of aircraft that also includes two Bell 407GX helicopters.
Introduced in 2013, the Bell 412EPI continues to garner interest from international customers, including the Canadian Coast Guard who recently signed an agreement to purchase seven of the aircraft.
The Bell 412EPI improves the Bell 412 platform with the Bell BasiX Pro fully integrated glass flight deck, providing critical flight information at-a-glance for greater situational awareness and safety. The Bell BasiX Pro system is specifically designed to meet the requirements of twin-engine helicopters and is optimized for IFR, Category A and JAR OPS3 compliant operations. The avionics suite also includes high resolution digital maps, electronic charts and approach plates, ADS-B transponder and optional HTAWS and XM satellite links. The Bell 412EPI also incorporates the power of Pratt and Whitney’s PT6T-9 Twin Pac engines, providing 15 percent more horsepower than the standard Bell 412. The Bell 412EPI features the BLR Strake and FastFin system, which modifies the tailboom to optimize airflow and improve handling, safety and lift.
