Bell Lands Leon County Sheriff’s Office as First East Coast Bell 505 Public Safety Operator

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Anaheim, Calif. (29 January 2020) – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today a signed a purchase agreement with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in Tallahassee, Fla., for a public safety-configured Bell 505 Jet Ranger X.

“Leon County has an advanced aviation unit that is responsible for a broad range of critical missions including aerial searching for lost or missing persons, aircraft and boats, SWAT team deployment and storm damage assessment,” said Doug Schoen, managing director, North America. “The addition of the highly customized Bell 505 will allow the aviation unit to continue serving and protecting the citizens of the greater Tallahassee area.”

The Bell 505 public safety configuration and on-board equipment includes:

  • A Trakkabeam A800 Searchlight mounted on an AA AFT Hardpoint
  • A Macro-Blue MB 15W Display
  • A Wescam MX-10 Camera mounted on an Aeronautical Accessories’ FWD Hardpoint
  • A Becker AMU6500 Digital Audio System with Pilot and Copilot individual audio controllers
  • An AerocomputersUC6000 Map System Interfaced to the MX-10 and Searchlight
  • Two dual USB charging ports
  • AeroDynamix NVG Cockpit lighting
  • High Skid Gear
  • An Expanded Instrument Panel
  • An Expanded Avionics Shelf
  • A Mission Equipment Master Switch

“Our aviation unit is responsible for operating over the City of Tallahassee and in the darkest areas of the county including the Apalachicola National Forrest where visibility is extremely limited. It is critical we have highly advanced technology onboard to ensure the safety of our pilots,” said Lieutenant Lee Majors, Aviation Section Commander, Leon County Sheriff’s Office.

With a speed of 125 knots (232 km/h) and useful load of 1,500 pounds (680 kg), the Bell 505 is designed to be safe and easy to fly while providing significant value to the operator. The customer-driven design of the aircraft places safety, performance and affordability at the forefront, blending proven systems with advanced technology and a sleek, modern design.

About Bell

Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 85 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us.

We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were a part of NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of advanced air mobility.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours.

Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.

About Textron

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.

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