Your time is your most valuable resource and with more and more airlines reporting delays or cancellations, air travel is becoming challenging. Whether it’s work or play, owning a helicopter can not only transform your business, but get you jetting off to your next adventure sooner.
According to Bell Regional Sales Manager Ben Lassiter, the buying process starts with “defining your mission.” Deciding what your main purpose is for your aircraft can help you design the perfect helicopter to meet your performance expectations.
Once you define your mission, the journey can begin. Here’s why a helicopter should be your next major purchase.
Convenience: Unlike a fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters enjoy runway independence and aren’t limited to just an airport. It’s not uncommon for owners to park their helicopters in their own backyard to save time and energy.
“We’ve even had one customer who ended up storing his helicopter in a two-story garage on his property,” says Lassiter. “It wasn’t originally designed to hold one, but his helicopter can fit into small and confined tight spaces.”
The Best Accessory: Just like a luxury car, your helicopter can be customized to fit your needs. From the seating options to enhanced accessories to the color schemes. Your space will not only be luxurious for you and your passengers inside and out, but comfortable for a smooth ride. Owners even have the option to create a personalized N-Number.
Though you may not be able to fly your new helicopter off the lot right away, you can rest assured that your aircraft is being built with your specific needs in mind. Make sure that when you purchase, you keep the calendar in mind if you need it for a specific purpose or date.
Award-Winning Customer Service: Bell’s salespeople are here to guide you through the buying process and offer you resources for any questions you may have – especially after your first flight.
“What I was expecting was the salesman, and what I got was probably one of the most accomplished aviators I've ever met,” says Bell 429 owner Christian Palmaz of his sales representative Greg Maitlen. “Bell's full of people like that. There's a lot of very accomplished pilots and aviators and engineers that are a phone call away.”
Bell offers several ways to help maintain your aircraft after delivery. Your helicopter automatically comes with a three-year complimentary warranty. If you want additional coverage, you can purchase it through a Customer Advantage Plan.
The Customer Advantage Plans (CAP) take the guessing out of maintenance cost. With CAP, owners can find a maintenance plan that fits their needs. All plans offer exchanges and coverage for unscheduled removals. If you’re looking at coverage for scheduled removals, that can be covered under CAP Premier. Bell also recently launched a new plan where customers can purchase blocks of hours upfront rather than paying as you fly.
Ultimately, CAP helps take the guessing out of maintenance costs by making it more predictable and stable in case of any unexpected costs.
“That way when customers write a check, there’s no surprise,” says Lassiter. “We have the tools in place to off-load the costs and make them predictable for our customers.”
When you purchase a Bell helicopter, it also gives you a spot at the Bell Training Academy (BTA). BTA provides required pilot and maintenance training to ensure the pilot is aware of the aircraft systems, emergency situations that could occur, and proper maintenance. In addition to using Bell aircraft, BTA use simulators for pilots to learn different procedures and scenarios.