Bell yesterday signed an agreement for the sale of 10 Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) during the Special Operations Forces Exhibition & Conference (SOFEX) in Aqaba, Jordan. SOFEX was established by Jordan’s King Abdullah II, an active helicopter and fixed-wing pilot. The contract includes the aircraft, flight training device (FTD), and computer-based training package for basic and advanced rotorcraft flight training at the King Hussein Air College in Mafraq, Jordan.
“We look forward to adding the Bell 505 aircraft to our fleet and providing our pilots with one of the best possible aircraft for their training. The addition of 10 new aircraft will enable us to further expand our operations in the country, in turn increasing the capabilities of the Royal Jordanian Air Force,” said Brig. Gen. Mohammad F. Hiyasat, Commander of the RJAF.
Bell recently marked the 400th Model 505 delivery. The five-seat 505 cruises at 125 knots and has a 360 nm maximum range. As of February 2022, the delivered fleet had amassed more than 100,000 flight hours since certification in 2016. The light single helicopter is equipped with a Safran Arrius 2R engine and Garmin G1000 NXi avionics.