University’s Professional Pilot Aviation Program adds Bell 505 to support student pilot and technical training

Fort Worth, TX (25 August 2020) – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today the delivery of a Bell 505 Jet Ranger X to Southern Utah University (SUU) for its existing fleet of helicopters used to conduct student training.

“SUU has been a Bell customer for more than 20 years, and its Professional Pilot Aviation Program currently operates two Bell 206L4s for advanced flight training,” said Greg Maitlen, regional sales manager, Bell, North America. “The Bell 505 is the most technologically advanced aircraft in its class and will offer a generational step forward by providing advanced training to tomorrow’s rotorcraft pilots.”

Southern Utah University’s College of Aerospace Sciences and Technology offers training in Rotor Wing Pilot or Fixed Wing Pilot components. These courses share a common core of general education and general aviation core courses. SUU Aviation is a University flight training program in Cedar City, Utah with the largest collegiate helicopter fleet in the nation and the most robust flight training capabilities.

SUU’s additional special curriculum courses include: Turbine Transition, External Load, Night Vision Goggles, Mountain Flying, SFAR 73 Transition, and both Single Engine and Multi Engine fixed wing training. They offer pilot licenses and ratings for Private Pilot, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor and Certified Flight Instructor Instrument training.

“We are excited to grow our current Bell fleet and begin offering advanced pilot and maintenance training with the Bell 505,” Mike Mower, executive director, SUU Aviation. “As we continue to navigate through pilot shortages and strive to ensure industry safety, it is critical to train future aviators to operate aircraft with the latest technology on board.”

With optional dual pilot controls, the Bell 505, which recently surpassed 45,000 flight hours globally, is an excellent aircraft for training pilots to fly today’s modern aircraft with integrated glass flight decks, FADEC controlled engines, and other advanced technologies. These modern technologies coupled with proven dynamic systems and a high inertia rotor system for excellent autorotation capabilities create the optimal platform for helicopter training.

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For more information, visit the Bell website.

Blakeley Thress

+1 817‐280‐2968

mediarelations@bellflight.com

About Bell

About Bell

Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 90 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us.

We're an aerospace and defense company that engineers and manufactures aircraft for critical solutions in extreme scenarios. We're breaking barriers in lifting people to safety across transportation, medical, rescue and military services, and leading the industry in future solutions that are fast, reliable and efficient.

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 Inc.

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, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. 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 cancelations or deferrals of orders.


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