Pegasus Aero Group CEO Talks Bell 412 and Firefighting Missions

Multi-mission capabilities make the Bell 412 a popular choice for customers with more than 54 percent of the Bell 412 global fleet deployed in military and para-public missions worldwide. Pegasus Aero Group uses the Bell 412 to conduct firefighting operations in southern Europe and the Mediterranean, relying on its high payload and performance in extreme environments to protect communities from natural disasters.

During European Rotors 2023 in Madrid, Spain, Pegasus Aero Group completed a firefighting demonstration flight to showcase the aircraft’s avionics, bambi bucket operations and reliability as it takes on a challenging, imperative mission. Hear from Pegasus Aero Group CEO, Héctor Tamarit Almagro, about why they selected the Bell 412 to protect and serve the Mediterranean communities.

 How does the Bell 412 support Pegasus Aero Group operations?

The Bell 412 helicopter model has played a very important role in the aerial operations of Pegaus Aero Group for more than 20 years, both in the activation of Forest Fires, Ems and Search and Rescue. It is a helicopter that for its versatility, performance and reliability is highly appreciated by our customers in the different countries where we operate.

 What are qualities about the Bell 412 that the teams value?

From the technical point of view, the qualities of the Bell 412 are many, but we can highlight these two:

- External load and passenger carrying capacity

- Very reliable performance in extreme flight environments (wind, high temperatures).

 How has Bell provided excellent customer service and support in the past?

From the point of view of support Bell has always been characterized by being very close to the operators and above all very diligent in providing support for parts and technical documentation, thanks to its extensive network of workshops around the world. Without a doubt, it is one of the best manufacturers in terms of customer support.

 Can you provide an example of a successful mission the Bell 412 has helped complete?

There are several missions that can be highlighted, but above all we have a lot of success in rescue operations both at sea and in the mountains, in which the immediate, effective and safe response is key to saving lives. Finally, and making a summary of the relationship during these 20 years of Pegasus with Bell we can say that the balance has been very positive, today we operate more than 25 Bell 412 of all versions (CLASICS, SP, HP and EP) in different missions and in more than 5 countries. (CLASICS, SP, HP and EP) in different missions and in more than 5 countries. In addition, since 2012 we also operate a Bell 412 FFSB simulator in which we train our crews and other national and foreign operators. Also, we offer flight training in forest fire environment, which provides trainees with a unique training environment. For this reason, we are convinced that the Bell 412 will continue to be one of the models on which our group will base its operations in the coming years.

Learn more about the Bell 412 and Bell’s presence at European Rotors 2023 here.