Subaru Bell 412EPX wins EASA certification
This Subaru Bell 412EPX is pictured over Los Angeles.
The Subaru Bell 412EPX is preparing for flight operations across the EU after winning certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Danny Maldonado, chief commercial officer, Bell said: “This is a testament to the programme’s dedication to bring the most advanced Bell 412 model and its unparalleled capabilities to different markets and serve new customers and their missions.”
The manufacturer has won a number of orders for its Subaru Bell 412EPX platform in Europe. Bell’s order book includes one aircraft to Sarajevo Canton Ministry of Interior in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A further two aircraft have been ordered by the Republic of Croatia’s Ministry of Interior. The helicopters will be used for civil protection, firefighting, medical transport and natural disaster support.
Bell has also recently revealed signed purchase agreements for the Subaru Bell 412EPXs to San Diego Fire-Rescue, the Japan Coast Guard and Japan’s Nara and Miyazaki Prefectures.
Backed by 11 variants spanning more than four decades, the Bell 412 has long been deployed on a range of critical missions, including firefighting, law enforcement and search-and-rescue operations.
The twin-engine aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 123kts (228km/h) with a VLRC (long range) of 361nm (669km). The helicopter has a maximum endurance of 3.8 hours. The aircraft is named Subaru in recognition of the fact it was co-developed by the car manufacturer Subaru and Bell Textron.
Meanwhile, Bell confirmed last month that Global Medical Response is adding 15 Bell 407GXis fitted with IFR configuration kits to its total fleet of 250 Bell helicopters.
