Bell has signed a purchase agreement with Swiss helicopter services company Karen for two Bell 505 light single helicopters. The company will use the delivered aircraft for VIP and commercial flights and pilot training. Karen was founded by Enzo Carlino in 1999 and offers a wide range of services, including corporate transportation, helicopter management, pilot training, technical training, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul.
“We are excited to begin operating the 505 and offer this aircraft to our customers,” said Luca Carlino, managing director of Karen. “The aircraft will modernize our fleet of Bell 206 aircraft.”
The five-seat 505 cruises at 125 knots and has a 360-nm maximum range. More than 360 of the type are operating around the world, with 65 of those helicopters flying in Europe. As of February 2022, the delivered fleet had amassed more than 100,000 flight hours since entering service in 2016. The light single 505 is equipped with a Safran Arrius 2R engine and Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite.