Uganda’s Bar Aviation buys medivac Bell 412Epi
Uganda helicopter and fixed-wing operator Bar Aviation is to buy a Bell 412EPi to support round-the-clock medical evacuation missions and the new development of oil and gas projects in Uganda.
Bar Aviation provides air medical evacuation services to connect communities to life-saving medical support. The business, based at Kajjansi Airfield, 20 miles north of Entebbe International Airport, also offers private charters, aerial and geographical survey, cargo flights, aircraft leasing and pilot training.
Bar Aviation CEO Barak Orland said Bell aircraft helped the operator deliver a wide spectrum of services. “BAR Aviation is very excited to be adding the Bell 412EPi to strengthen its growing rotary wing fleet thus contributing to the success of its various missions,” he said.
Bell Textron’s Lynette Loosen, regional sales manager, Africa and the Middle East, Bell said the Bell 412 has proven its capabilities and the company is growing its Bell 412 fleet in East Africa. Bell’s MD Sameer Rehman said Barak Orland is a visionary. “Bell looks forward to further strengthening our relationship with Bar Aviation to enhance its service offerings in Uganda and beyond.”
More than 1,100 Bell 412 helicopters have been delivered worldwide, logging over 6.5m flight hours. Over 160 Bell 412s (as pictured above) operate in Africa and the Middle East. According to the OEM: “Customers continue to rely on the rugged and reliable Bell 412, which carries operators through parapublic, offshore, emergency medical service and even VIP missions every day.”
Meanwhile, in January 2021, Bar Aviation took delivery of the first Bell 505 in Uganda (pictured below). This was also the first fully-equipped emergency medical service Bell 505 in Africa. The aircraft continues to carry out medical evacuation missions in the region.
