LONDON – Bell Textron Inc. have announced the delivery of the first Bell 505 helicopter to a customer in Greece. The aircraft was delivered in August at the Bell Prague Service Center.
The aircraft is privately owned and will be operated by Bellavia Ltd. for commercial flights throughout the mainland and islands of Greece for business, VIP, leisure and charter flights.
Bellavia will operate and maintain the aircraft under its organization certifications with pilots and technicians trained at the Bell Training Academy.
“This is an exciting milestone for the Bell 505. We are proud to deliver the first 505 in Greece,” said Patrick Moulay, senior vice president, International Commercial Business, Bell.
“The Bell 505 is a unique platform that is fit for any adventure. The aircraft enables tourists to experience the world from a new perspective and see some of its most remote and beautiful places.”
About Bellavia Aviation Services Ltd
Bellavia Aviation Services Ltd. has operated and maintained Bell aircraft since 1991. The third-generation family business began its operation with a Bell 47 providing more than 3,500 flight hours in fertilizing, mosquito spraying and aerial filming.
It continued operations with the legendary Bell 206 JetRanger, Bell 230, Bell 206 LongRanger and currently has a fleet of Bell 206, Bell 407, Bell 429 and Bell 505.
“We are thrilled to add another Bell aircraft to our fleet. We take much pride in flying Bell helicopters throughout the blue skies of Greece and continue to enjoy the unparalleled support and advanced technology Bell can provide,” said Rania Belesioti, accountable manager Bellavia Ltd.
“Our clients and associates are granted with what they deserve: the safest and highest quality flights over the beautiful lands and islands of Greece.”
European Bell 505 deliveries
The manufacturer developed a strong sales momentum for the model in Europe this year. To date, Bell has delivered 78 Bell 505s in Europe to customers in Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia, and now Greece.
The company continues to grow its international presence with aircraft sales for private and commercial use. In addition, to its broad customer base, Bell’s Prague facility offers regional operators’ accessible maintenance, repair and overhaul options.
Bell Textron recently celebrated a further milestone with the marque when it announced the delivery of the 400th Bell 505 in August. The 400th aircraft was also bound for the European market, being allocated to European customer Al Barratt, co-founder of Grenade and owner of Cotswold Aviation, both based in the United Kingdom.
From its first delivery in 2017, there are now officially over 400 aircraft operating on six different continents. The Bell 505 is one of company’s fastest growing products for corporate and VIP markets.
As the demand for this aircraft increases, Bell has continued to introduce technologies for the Bell 505 including an enhanced avionics suite and auto-pilot capabilities.
