Bell Textron delivers the 2,000th Bell 407

2000 up: Bell has delivered its 2000th Bell 407 helicopter.

Bell Textron has delivered the 2,000th Bell 407 four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter to Canadian operator White Saddle Air Services of British Columbia.

Commenting on the landmark sale of the Bell 407GXi model, Danny Maldonado, president and CEO, Bell said: “The delivery of the 2000th Bell 407 is a tremendous milestone for Bell and for the global community of operators who have placed their confidence in this platform.”

He added: “This achievement reflects the dedication and expertise of the teams who collectively work together to engineer and build this platform, as well as the customers that use this aircraft to perform everyday missions.”

The Bell 407GXi was introduced in 2018. Powered by a single Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 turboshaft engine with dual-channel FADEC, the aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 133 knots (246 km/h), a maximum range of 337nm (624 km) and a maximum endurance of four hours. The GXi features the Garmin G1000H NXi Avionics high-definition glass cockpit.

Founded in 1975, the family-owned White Saddle Air Services offers charter flights in the remote Bluff Lake area in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast of British Columbia, Canada. The business caters for mountain expeditions and tourism in addition to emergency services and wildfire suppression. A long-term Bell client, the operators first new aircraft was a JetRanger 3. The company’s new Bell 407 GXi joins its fleet which includes another Bell 407GXi and a Bell 407GXP.

Meanwhile, late last month Bell Textron reported third-quarter revenue down by 9% to $933m. The manufacturer attributed to the decline to  both its military and as civilian segments.