HORIZON INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT ACADEMY SIGNS PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR 12 BELL 505 JET RANGER X HELICOPTERS
Dubai Air Show (17 November 2019) Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today the signature of a purchase agreement with Horizon International Flight Academy for 12 Bell 505 helicopters. Based at Al Ain International Airport Zone and purpose-built for flight training, Horizon International Flight Academy uses its Bell-only fleet to provide unparalleled flight training to local and international students for the civilian and military sector.
Hareb Thani Al Dhaheri, chief executive officer, Horizon, stated, “The addition of single-engine glass cockpits will enable us to meet the latest technology needs of aspiring pilots and will prepare them to fly with modern helicopters when they are back to their units.”
“It is an incredible privilege to work with the fantastic team at Horizon International Flight Academy” said Sameer Rehman, Bell managing director for Africa and the Middle East. “Horizon has been a regional force in training helicopter pilots, and its choice of the Bell 505 will further enhance its offering with new technology aircraft. It is an honor to play a part in Horizon’s state-of-the-art training, shaping the pilots of tomorrow on an all-Bell fleet of Bell 206s, Bell 407s, and Bell 429s.”
“The Bell 505’s unique capabilities and efficient operation make it an ideal trainer,” said Ian Darcy, senior vice president, Hawker-Pacific, Bell Independent Representative. “There has been a lot of interest in the Bell 505 as a training aircraft due to its capability, affordability, maintainability and safety features.”
With over 200 delivered worldwide, the aircraft is already demonstrating excellent performance with customers all over the world. The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X incorporates the familiarity of the Jet Ranger family with new advanced avionics technology. The integrated glass cockpit enables pilots in training to experience modern controls on a single engine aircraft, enabling them to transition more easily to flying advanced aircraft, such as the Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter. Its reliability, speed, performance and maneuverability are integrated with a flat floor and open cabin that is configurable for a wide variety of missions and payloads.
Bell has been present in the UAE for decades and operates from its a Middle East head sales office located in Abu Dhabi.
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.
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, changes in aircraft delivery schedules or cancellations or deferrals of orders; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; volatility in interest rates or foreign exchange rates; and risks related to our international business, including establishing and maintaining facilities in locations around the world and relying on joint venture partners, subcontractors, suppliers, representatives, consultants and other business partners in connection with international business, including in emerging market countries.