Victoria, Australia (March 27, 2025) – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced Toll Aviation, with the Government of South Australia, has signed a purchase agreement for two Bell 429s to support the South Australia Police (SAPOL) aerial capability. Upon the aircraft delivery, SAPOL will become Australia’s third law enforcement agency to integrate this model into its fleet. Operations are scheduled to commence on 1 October 2027.
SAPOL has selected a mixed fleet of helicopters and airplanes to meet their comprehensive capability and service requirements, with the Bell 429 expected to be a high-readiness aircraft that supports Airborne Law Enforcement (ALE), tactical response, search and rescue, disaster management, and operational transport missions. The aircraft will be on standby 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, operated by Toll Aviation pilots and SAPOL tactical flight officers. Toll Aviation is no stranger, however, to Bell aircraft as they fly the Bell 412 on a contract supporting crash response.
“We are thrilled to welcome Toll Aviation and SAPOL into the ever-growing Bell family. It truly is gratifying to know that our aircraft will play a crucial role in keeping the South Australian community safe. Alongside Jet Aviation, a Bell independent representative, we are committed to continuously engaging with customers in Oceania to sustain the positive momentum of the Bell 429, which is the light twin platform of choice for law enforcement work,” said David Sale, managing director, Asia Pacific, Bell.
“We are very proud to be our customers' trusted Bell representative in Australia,” added David Best, Jet Aviation's senior vice president of regional operations for the Americas and APAC. “As a global business aviation company, we are committed to supporting our customers when and where they need us. We were delighted to leverage this expertise and build on our long-standing partnership with Bell to find the right aircraft to support the diverse operational requirements of the South Australian Police and ensure seamless mission success in the future.”
The Bell 429 remains a highly sought-after model worldwide, particularly among operators in the law enforcement, corporate and HEMS sectors. Notable users of this twin-engine platform include law enforcement and search and rescue organizations such as the New South Wales Police, Queensland Police Service, Canadian Coast Guard, Indonesia National Police, New York Police Department, Royal Thai Police, and Swedish National Police.
Designed for both passenger transport and emergency services, the Bell 429 boasts the largest cabin space in the light twin helicopter category, featuring flat flooring and seating for up to seven people, on top of an integrated avionics suite and IFR capability. Currently, there are over 500 Bell 429s in operation globally, accumulating more than 735,000 flight hours.
Bell is co-located at booth #3M10 in Hall 3 at the Avalon Airport for Avalon 2025, where a 1/8 scale model of the United States Army Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) is on display, alongside a 1/10 scale model of a Bell 525. Outside the exhibition hall, a Bell 407GXi, configured for powerline work, is on static display.