Certification Will Bring Aircraft One Step Closer to Satisfying Critical Customer Missions

At a news conference Monday at the Paris Air Show, Bell Helicopter announced that it is nearing final FAA certification for the new Bell 210 light utility helicopter - which will mark a major milestone for the program and bring the aircraft one step closer to delivery.

The Bell 210 offers a high-performance, cost-effective solution for agencies engaged in critical utility missions such as Homeland Security, law enforcement and firefighting.

"This has been a great year for Bell," said Bell CEO Mike Redenbaugh.

"The imminent certification of the new 210 not only represents the talent, hard work and dedication of hundreds of Bell team members, it is the latest in a series of significant Bell aviation achievements that underpin our goal to double revenues by the end of the decade."

Among key potential future opportunities, the Bell 210 helicopter is well-suited for the U.S. Army's light utility helicopter (LUH) requirement, to be outlined in an upcoming Request for Proposals (RFP) expected to be released soon. This includes a variety of U.S. Army-supported utility missions now handled by aircraft scheduled to be updated/replaced in the coming years, for which the Bell 210 is ideally suited; including utility missions for non-combat organizations (TDA), National Guard utility, drug interdiction efforts (RAID) and Homeland Defense (HLD) missions.

The Bell 210 - which made its first flight earlier this year - recently completed a rigorous four-month testing program, led by Bell affiliate, Edwards & Associates.

"The 210 combines outstanding performance with an existing logistical base, unbeatable direct operating costs and a very low initial acquisition cost. The Bell 210 is truly one of the best total value propositions in the market today," added Mike Blake, Executive Vice President and COO of Commercial Business for Bell.

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