Bell is reporting sales growth in Europe with regard to its certified civil models and associated support structure. Worldwide, the company delivered 179 commercial aircraft in 2022, up from 156 in 2021. Recent European activity includes orders for its 407GXi single to corporate customers in the UK and Ireland and the Polish National Police and continuing orders for its 429 light twin and 505 light single.
Earlier this year, at HAI Heli-Expo 2023, Bell announced new 407GXi sales in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Customers signed purchase agreements for three copies of its Bell 407GXi—two to a corporate customer in the UK and one in Ireland for corporate transportation. The Polish National Police also purchased four Bell 407GXi that will join three aircraft of the same type which it received in October 2020. Additionally, Bell announced a signed purchase agreement for a model 429 light twin for a customer in Spain. It will utilize the aircraft for charter and corporate/VIP transportation.
Since FAA certification in 2017, more than 400 Bell 505 light turbine singles have begun operating worldwide, 80 of them in Europe, primarily for pilot training and corporate/VIP transportation. Worldwide, the helicopter has attracted substantial interest as a civil and military trainer. It is used to train government forces in Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Montenegro, and the UAE, and Bell recently signed a deal to sell 40 for use as trainers to the Republic of Korea's army and navy. It can now be equipped with the optional Garmin GFC 600H autopilot with features including altitude hold with speed stability and a hover assist mode.
The Bell Training Academy (BTA) is working to increase training options at BTA-Valencia in Spain and continues to grow globally. The Valencia facility opened in 2016 under the management of Textron’s TRU simulation and Training Bell Textron took over the management of the center in 2020, folding it into the Bell Training Academy (BTA), as part of a strategy to expand training options in the region.
Today, BTA-Valencia has the world’s only Bell 429 full-flight Level D simulator. It is composed of two movement systems (primary and secondary) and a visual system with a 240-degree horizontal and 80-degree vertical field of view. The facility provides initial type rating, recurrent or revalidation courses, and tailored training, as well as an ATP course under FAA Part 142. Customers can also bring their own instructor and dry lease the simulator. The simulator can also be employed for non-specific aircraft model training for courses covering performance-based navigation, recognition, and recovery from inadvertent instrument meteorological conditions, and multi-crew cooperation. BTA-Valencia holds a variety of international approvals from EASA, FAA, ANAC (Brazil), ANAC (Argentina), AFAC (Mexico), and the CAA (UK).