Bell sells first 407GXi to client in Turkey for corporate flights

Bell Textron has sold the first Bell 407GXi in Turkey, to Turkish customer Sancak Air. The helicopter will join the company’s fleet which includes a Bell 430 and a 206.

The Bell 407GXi will be used by the company’s CEO Mustafa Bayrak for corporate flights. “We are proud to purchase the first Bell 407GXi in Turkey,” said Bayrak. “As a business owner, this aircraft will be flown by me for my private flights. The 407GXi impressed us with its high cruise speed, smooth flight characteristics and advanced avionics.”

An Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)-certified platform, the Bell 407GXi is proving popular with customers in Europe, according to the manufacturer. (There are now 1,590 Bell 407s in the global fleet, which have logged more than 6m global flight hours).

Patrick Moulay, senior vice president, International Commercial Sales, Bell Textron said: “The Bell 407GXi is an excellent aircraft for corporate and VIP transportation, providing both comfort and speed while safely getting passengers to their destination.”

Powered by a Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 dual-channel FADEC turbine engine, the Bell 407GXi can cruise at 133kts (246km/h). It is equipped with the Garmin G1000H NXi Integrated Flight Deck featuring high-resolution displays, fast processors and the ability to connect to tablets and smartphones.

The latest sale in Turkey follows seven signed purchase agreements to European buyers revealed at HAI Heli-Expo 2023 in March. Those were agreements to sell two Bell 407GXi to corporate customers in the UK, one to Zeus Essential Holding in Ireland and four to the Polish National Police (PNP).

Based in Istanbul, Sancak Air operates air taxi services, a flight academy and FBO and JAR-145 maintenance facilities.