Rotorcraft Asia: Multiple orders for Bell 429

Rotorcraft Asia 2017 has seen a number of orders for Bell Helicopter including four Model 429s which are to be delivered across Asia-Pacific, from the Philippines to Bangladesh.

Terra Barbaza Aviation has ordered an additional Bell 429 to add to its current fleet of one in the Philippines. The aircraft will be utilised for corporate/VIP transport.

In addition, a purchase agreement for one example was signed at the show between the OEM and Meghna Aviation in Bangladesh.

Two 429s are also being delivered to Indonesian private general trading company PT Carpediem Mandiri – the aircraft will be supplied to the flight calibration department of the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation.

The company focuses on vehicle rental services. Sameer Rehman, managing director of Asia Pacific at Bell Helicopter, commented on the 429s' mission with the operator.

'[The] deliveries mark the first time a Bell 429 has been configured for flight calibration missions, and it brings us great pride to support the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation in this important effort,' he said.

The Bell 429s will be performing calibration for helicopter ground instrument landing and departing systems at airports, heliports and helipads.

Aerodata is introducing its flight inspection system known as AD-HELIFIS on the Bell 429 and this order marks the second helicopter internationally and the first of the type operating with the technology.

Lastly, adding to the roster of 429s signed for at the show, Tata Steel Group, based in Mumbai, India, has purchased a second aircraft to support its steel production operations.