Bell Helicopter unveiled a new short light single class helicopter, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, at the Heli-Expo in Anaheim, Calif., on Tuesday. The five-seat turbine helicopter is designed to be safe, easy to fly, and affordable, according to Bell. “It’s an exciting time to be at Bell Helicopter, working side-by-side with our customers to create the next generation of vertical lift,” said CEO John Garrison. “Throughout our entire planning and development process, we are engaging our customers.” The Jet Ranger X is a multi-mission helicopter, designed to support a wide variety of operations categories, including the utility segment, corporate and private owners, and training schools.
The helicopter can cruise at 125 knots, fly up to 360 nautical miles nonstop and carry a useful load of 1,500 pounds, according to Bell. The aircraft features a Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine, dual channel FADEC, a Garmin G1000H integrated avionics suite, and a high-inertia rotor system. The cabin features a fully flat floor and clamshell doors. The company is taking orders now, and expects first flight later this year.
