Story ID: 
Bell 505 Fleet Reaches 20,000 Hours
By: Mark Huber
Caption: Bell has delivered 200 of its 505 light singles to customers on six continents
Word Count: 185
The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X fleet has surpassed more than 20,000 flight hours, marking the fastest-growing accumulation of flight hours of any current Bell commercial platform, the Fort Worth, Texas-based rotorcraft manufacturer announced this morning. Bell has handed over 200 of the light single-engine helicopters to customers across six continents since the first delivery in 2017.

“Our Bell 505 operators rely on the aircraft to perform from the beginning of each day to when their mission is complete,” said LaShan Bonaparte, program director for the Bell 505 and 429 models. “Logging more than 20,000 flight hours is very impressive for an aircraft in service less than three years. This achievement is a testament to the Bell 505’s performance and our customers' confidence in the aircraft.”

The five-seat 505 features a dual-channel FADEC Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine and Garmin G1000H glass-panel avionics. The helicopter has a top speed of 125 knots, a useful load of 1,500 pounds, and maximum range of 306 nm. Earlier this summer, Bell received FAA type certification authorization to increase the performance information service ceiling of its Model 505 light single to a density altitude of 22,500 feet.