PHI Air Medical Takes to The Sky, Always Prepared and Always Alert

“Dispatch Air Medical.” After hearing those three words, a crew of highly talented pilots and medical personnel are up in a Bell 407 in minutes. With over 65 bases all over the United States, PHI Air Medical utilizes a skilled team to transport over 30,000 patients a year. In Texas, they are known for their company standard of always carrying liquid plasma and warm red blood cells on every aircraft for transfusions.

Today, PHI Air Medical operates a fleet of Bell 407s, which have always been a choice aircraft for healthcare emergency services. A 61 in/155 cm bi-fold door allows for efficient patient loading especially when it’s vital. The third seat in the aircraft allows a patient family member, field surgeon or additional medical personnel to fly with the crew. The aircraft is also known for its reliability and performance especially in hot conditions, which it has proven with continuous successful operations in these type of environments, including during Texas summers where temperatures can reach more than 110 degrees. With reoccurring summertime injuries, such as drowning and dehydration, PHI personnel feel very confident in the aircraft and its ability to help them deliver patients to nearby medical facilities and hospitals. 

Established in 1981, PHI Air Medical has built a robust legacy of aviation safety - and they have the facts to prove it. PHI flies more flight hours than any other civilian company in the world. Their current safety record is 0.78 occurrences for 100,000 flight hours versus an industry average of 4.78 occurrences for 100,000 flight hours. The healthcare emergency medical service provider also achieved an industry first by becoming the first company to receive the Vision Zero Aviation Safety Award in 2007 and the only air medical company to win it a second time in 2016. To add further safety measures to flights, the crew operates in flight with night vision goggles, satellite tracking, terrain awareness, auto-pilot, terrain awareness and line monitoring.

PHI’s Bell 407 crew consists of two medical personnel - one flight nurse and one paramedic - and a pilot. From treating a rural agriculture accident to transporting high-risk maternity patients, medical personnel are required to have extensive medical knowledge to handle any injury and condition the North Texas community throws their way. In addition, PHI crews follow strict standardized and engineered airway guidelines to ensure patient safety and outcomes. PHI’s pilots can land in fields as well as on the sides of highways, dirt or concrete surfaces and hospital helipads. Every team member knows their role well and operates with patient and aircraft safety at the top of their mind.

Bell Completes 100th Delivery of the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X

On Tuesday, June 26, Bell completed its 100th delivery of the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X to Hunt Companies for corporate travel. Bell revealed its first customer delivery for the Bell 505 at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 and continues to receive international interest. Before the delivery, Mirabel facility employees gathered around the aircraft to commemorate this milestone.

Behind every aircraft delivery is a team of dedicated engineers and employees, designing and building a premium quality aircraft. From the testing of gear boxes to painting a fresh coat of color, every employee at our facilities plays an important role in aircraft development and exceptional quality continuity. Bell Textron President, Cynthia Garneau and Executive Vice President of Integrated Operations, Paul Watts recognized this fact by congratulating the Mirabel facility for this achievement.

In the past few months, the Bell 505 made an appearance at Black Sea Aerospace and Defense in Bucharest, Romania, flew through scenic Alaska and even showed famous Manchester United striker, Ruud Van Nistelrooy around Cambodia. With customer deliveries happening worldwide from Mexico to Poland and Czech Republic to New Zealand, the aircraft continues to complete significant missions on global scale.

To hear more news about the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, follow Bell on all social channels!

BELL 505 RECEIBES CERTIFICATION IN CHINA

13 May 2018

Beijing, China (May 13, 2018) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has received certification for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. This is a major milestone for the international expansion of the Bell 505, as anticipation is growing in country to receive the deliveries of over 110 aircraft.

“We are thrilled to receive this certification in one of the fastest growing markets for the Bell 505,” said Patrick Moulay, senior vice president, Commercial Business – International, Bell. “This achievement marks the Bell 505’s continued international success and broadens its global presence.” 

Already demonstrating excellent performance with customers all over the world and with ongoing demo tours in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America; the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X incorporates the familiarity of the Jet Ranger family with new advanced avionics technology. Its reliability, speed, performance and maneuverability are integrated with a flat floor and open cabin that is configurable for a wide variety of missions and payloads. The spacious cabin can accommodate four passengers for corporate travel or be configured for internal cargo missions by removing quick disconnect cabin seats. Along with a reliable drivetrain and rotor system, these features make the Bell 505 a true multi-mission aircraft in the short light single-engine market.

Navigating Through High Winds and Icy Mountains, Air Zermatt Puts Its Bell 429 To The Test

Search and Rescue team, Air Zermatt performs high mountain rescue all year round in a picturesque yet extremely demanding environment: the Swiss Alps. They operate one the most recognizable Bell 429's, a bright red aircraft that stands out beautifully against a snowy backdrop. To add to their fleet, the team has purchased another Bell 429, expected to be delivered next year. This delivery will arrive right on time for Air Zermatt's 50th anniversary in May.

The aircraft is configured for day and night operations and equipped with EMS tools, NVG, hoist and a HEC dual cargo hook. This customer will be on the Customer Advantage Plan Premier contract where they will receive a fixed cost per flight hour service option that protects customers' budgets and their aircraft, and increases aircraft availability at rates competitive to published direct maintenance costs. Bell will also train Air Zermatt pilots to operate the Bell Valencia 429 Full Flight Simulator Level D.

The Bell 429 has more cabin space than any other light twin helicopter on the market, with flat flooring and seating for seven passengers and one flight crew. The space enables passenger mobility and room for healthcare emergency services. When time is of the essence in the series, the Bell 429's 60-inch wide side doors and optional rear clam-shell doors provide quick and easy access. The state-of-the-art technology in the Bell 429 includes a fully integrated glass cockpit, advanced drive system, best-in-class WAAS/ SBAS navigation and IFR capability.

Due to our iconic and bold customer, the Bell 429 solidifies its position as the premier helicopter for mountain rescue. To see Air Zermatt and the Bell 429 in action, watch Red Bull TV's series, The Horn.

Bell Helicopter.

Here's Why Jet Owners Need a Helicopter, Bell Flight

Helicopters are extremely versatile aircraft that complete extraordinary operations each day. From assisting with executive travel to rescuing people stranded in oceans and mountains, there are many missions that require the use of vertical lift aircraft.

They are also excellent forms of private and corporate travel. Owners rely on jets for fast travel to important events to save time and increase efficiency. While fixed-wing aircraft is essential for long-distance trips, adding a helicopter to a corporate or personal flight department will provide the following benefits:

- Security and Privacy: Helicopters enable passengers to work and converse in private, eliminating chances for eavesdropping and decreasing passenger visibility. This method of travel is ideal for protecting confidentiality.

- Accessibility to Limited Areas: Jets require runways, which are not always available. Helicopters reach certain locations that are not accessible with fixed-wing aircraft. Having a helicopter will ensure that no location is unreachable. Not to mention that helicopters can land in backyards, near stadiums or on rooftops taking you directly to your destination as opposed to solely an airport.

- Saves Time and Achieves Goals: Take a lesson from professional NASCAR driver Kurt Busch who used Bell helicopters to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in the same day. He used a Bell 407 to fly from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to his jet, which took him to Concord, North Carolina where he flew in a Bell 429 from the airport to the Lowe’s Motor Speedway. By successfully racing in both races and becoming the fourth NASCAR driver in history to achieve this feat, he proved that important goals can be reached when using a helicopter during a limited time frame. Not everyone will become one of the few drivers to compete in two races, but helicopter owners will save time they need to reach significant milestones and make great things happen, either in business or in life.

- Saving Money - Always a Bonus: If you travel frequently, either for business or personal travel, the productivity and cost savings of utilizing a helicopter will benefit you. Figuring how much time you and your colleagues spend on commercial airlines, purchasing a helicopter will save you money in the long run, not to mention the convenience of reaching your destination in about a third of the time. View the chart below to see how much your business can save with a helicopter purchase.

If colleagues are flying from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, traveling in a Bell helicopter could save them over $38,000 in time saved. Also, the passengers can continue to work or even host a meeting during flight increasing productivity compared to commercial travel, resulting in 61.6 productivity hours.

Bell Helicopter delivers top of the line products to our customers and ensures that every ride is efficient, comfortable and safe. Our products are designed to complement all business and personal needs and offer convenience and comfort to every passenger.

For all jet owners, the only choice to make now is to find out which Bell helicopter suits your needs. Click the links below for more information on each product:

Bell 505 Jet Ranger X: Soon appear in nearly every corner of the world, this is the aircraft needed for a budget friendly, yet fast helicopter travel. The 505 fits four passengers comfortably and can be configured to accommodate VIP passengers, owners and operators. Need a quick ride to the airport to meet your jet? This is the helicopter for you.

Bell 407 GXP: The 407 GXP has a corporate interior and is exceptionally quiet during flight. Six passengers can comfortably fit inside the aircraft and experience the smoothest ride in its class. 

Bell 429: Always a photo-favorite, this visually stunning helicopter includes a spacious cabin that fits up to seven passengers and combines sleek exterior lines and meticulously crafted interiors for a comfortable in-flight experience.

Bell 525 Relentless: When traveling with your business team, family or with a group of friends, the 525 accommodates large groups with comfortable, luxurious spacing and low noise. Seating up to 20 passengers, depending on your needs, the 525 can also be outfitted with the most luxurious cabin interior on the market today, the Mecaer VVIP interior, deluxe seating that sets the 525 apart from any other VIP aircraft.

The Ambulance of Texas Skies, CareFlite Has Saved Over One Million Patients

Just as drivers on the road recognize the blue and red flashing lights of an ambulance, the CareFlite helicopters that fly through the sky are just as known in Texas. Helicopter emergency medical services have been the flagship mission of CareFlite since 1979. Today, their employees have safely transported over one million patients by air and ground, since its inception.

Operating out of six air medical center bases, the team’s fleet consists of two Bell 429s and five Bell 407GXs, along with ground ambulances and a King Air fixed wing ambulance. They are currently the only service in north central Texas that operates their Bell 429 under instrument flight rules during inclement conditions, meaning the CareFlite Medical Crew and their aircraft are ready to respond during rain or shine.

Aside from providing fast transportation to medical centers, CareFlite also seeks to educate first responders about safe operation of helicopters through their Landing Zone safety classes. They recognize that their rotorcraft do not always land on helipads and have been training pilots and first responders for 38 years on how to get out of scene as well as into it. Their pilots also operate aircraft wearing night vision goggles to make their nighttime rescue operations as safe as possible. Through their pilot training, CareFlite provides pilots with valuable lessons to prepare them to land anywhere and rescue sick or injured citizens in every situation.

While they are always ready to bring help and hope to all who are badly injured in car or industrial accidents, CareFlite employees also feel it is their best responsibility to encourage drivers to avoid reckless activities that could lead to these unfortunate circumstances. The organization secures billboard advertisements on major Texas highways to encourage drivers to not text and drive. CareFlite employees are all too familiar with dangerous driving habits. Today, texting while driving causes more accidents than driving under the influence. Through these ads, the nonprofit hopes to keep Texas roads safer and accident – free by reminding drivers that the worst way to ride in a helicopter is as a patient.

Bell has been part of CareFlite’s life saving air medical service since CareFlite was founded in 1979. The first joint use air medical program in the United States is sponsored by Baylor Scott & White Health, JPS Health Network, Methodist Health System, Parkland Health and Hospital and Texas Health Resources. More information can be found at www.careflite.org