Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, has announced that it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Yuhi Airlines for a Bell 505 Jet Ranger X. The aircraft will be used for corporate travel and tourism across the region.
The agreement was signed at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition 2016 by Shichiro Toma, president and CEO of Yuhi Airlines, and Patrick Moulay, Bell Helicopter’s executive vice president of global commercial sales and marketing.
“We are pleased to sign for the Bell 505 and look forward to integrating the aircraft into our operations,” said Toma. “Yuhi Airlines provides world class air transportation services throughout Japan, and the Bell 505 will provide customers with efficient transportation and high levels of visibility to enjoy the views.”
Yuhi Airlines was founded in 1989, and the company offers flight training, flight simulation, and general helicopter tours and charter flights, as well as aerial photography services.
“We are extremely proud to see the Bell 505 exceeding customer’s expectations in terms of performance, safety and advanced technology,” said Moulay. “The Bell 505 is proving to be a leader in the short light single market around the world, and we are confident this aircraft will enable our customers to achieve their ambitions. We look forward to delivering this state-of-the-art aircraft to our valued customer.”
With a cruise speed of 125 knots (232 kilometers per hour), range of 360 nautical miles (667 kilometers) and useful load of 1,500 pounds (608 kilograms), the Bell 505 is designed to be safe and easy to fly while providing significant value to the operator. The customer-driven design of the aircraft places safety, performance and affordability at the forefront, blending proven systems with advanced technology and a sleek, modern design.
The Garmin G1000H integrated avionics suite provides pilots critical flight information at a glance to maximize situational awareness. Pilot workload is further reduced by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine with dual channel full authority digital engine control (FADEC).
Bell Helicopter Co., Ltd. was established in Japan in January 2014 for the primary purpose of building upon long-term customer and partner relationships. Bell Helicopter’s office in Tokyo serves as a hub for sales, marketing, and aftermarket service efforts.
Customers in Japan are also supported by authorized customer service facilities, Fuji Heavy Industries, Nakanihon Air Service Co., Ltd. and Aero Asahi. Bell Helicopter is committed to having resources where customers operate to speed up delivery of service and support, and give customers access to service professionals that are easy to reach, know the operating environment and understand their needs.
