LONDON – Bell Textron Inc. has announced the delivery of the first Bell 505 to Angolan aviation company, BESTFLY. The aircraft was handed over during a ceremony in Mirabel, Canada.
BESTFLY was established in 2009 and today is Angola’s biggest private aviation company, carrying out a range of services, including aircraft management and charter, catering, flight planning, transfers and flight handling.
“We’re proud to take delivery of the very first Bell 505 in West Africa,” said Nuno Pereira, CEO and founder, BESTFLY. This addition to our fleet will add a new dimension to our service offering and showcases our commitment to further developing the aviation industry in the region.”
“We will be using the new 505 for corporate transportation and sightseeing tours, among other missions. It’s a great aircraft that is incredibly easy to maintain and the customer service from the Bell team has been excellent.”
This is the first Bell 505 in Angola and BESTFLY plans to add another one to its fleet later next year.
“Alcinda and Nuno Pereira are visionaries in aviation. They have built a formidable business spanning beyond Angola, and that will be further enhanced with the delivery of a new Bell 505,” said Sameer Rehman, managing director, Africa and Middle East.
“This aircraft is once again proving its versatility and reliability in this market. We look forward to BESTFLY using the Bell 505 in many innovative ways for all the work they do in the region.”
About the Bell 505
The Bell 505 is the most versatile aircraft in the short light single class. Its powerful Safran Arrius 2R engine and dual-channel FADEC, combined with its advanced Garmin G1000H NXi avionics suite, means the Bell 505 is suited to a wide of range of missions.
The multi-role helicopter has seen service in pilot training, sightseeing and tourism, corporate transport, utility and public safety.
Last year, the Bell 505 was certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to carry up to 2,000 pounds (907 kg) using its cargo hook, further adding to the 505’s impressive utilitarian capabilities.
First launched in 2017, the short light single Bell 505 helicopter has proved incredibly popular across the globe, achieving 100,000 flight hours in May this year.
Global sales
There are currently thirty 505s operating elsewhere in Africa and the Middle East, and the platform celebrated its 400th global delivery earlier this year.
In August, Bell announced the 400th delivery of the model to a customer in the United Kingdom since its launch in 2017.
Other recent deliveries in Europe include one aircraft to a private customer in Greece, two to JB Investments in Poland and two to Karen SA in Switzerland. A total of 78 Bell 505s have now been delivered across the continent.
Since its market entry just 5 years ago, the Bell 505 is enjoying strong market penetration and uptake globally.
