Bell Helicopter announced here at Farnborough that it has added Ruag Aviation (Chalet A21) to its customer service network as an authorized customer service facility (CSF) in Switzerland. The new CSF center in Sion will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for Bell 429s. The facility will also offer systems upgrades and lease returns.
Jakub Hoda, Bell Helicopter’s managing director of Europe and Russia, said, “Authorizing Ruag Aviation to perform Bell 429 field maintenance reinforces our commitment to enhancing the regional support customers need to continue their operations. Bell Helicopter has experienced incredible fleet growth throughout Europe the past several years, particularly in the parapublic and EMS segments, and we only expect continued interest in this state-of-the-art platform.”
There are currently 70 Bell 429s operating across Europe. The helicopter features a fully integrated glass cockpit with advanced drive system, WAAS navigation and IFR capability. Safety features include a collective mounted throttle, damage tolerant hub and rotor system and energy attenuating seats.