Story ID: 136Bell505
Bell 505 Gains FAA Certification 
By: Mark Huber
Caption: The helicopter now holds approvals from three agencies and expects a fourth shortly.
Word Count: 142
Bell Helicopter's $1.07 million 505 Jet Ranger X light single received FAA type certification early last month, and EASA certification should follow “shortly.” The 505 received its initial type certification from Transport Canada on December 21. That certification was validated by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority on March 2. The first customer aircraft was handed over on March 7.

The Texas-based manufacturer says it holds letters of intent for four hundred 505s, but on June 5 company CEO Mitch Snyder declined to reveal how many of those LOIs have been converted to firm orders. Snyder also declined to estimate what the 505's production run would be this year in an apparent change from the estimate of 50 he gave during a press conference in December. Bell continues certification work on options for the 505, among them kits for law enforcement and electronic newsgathering.

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