Bell plans to build 407GXi in Ozark
Bell Helicopter has proposed its final assembly plans for the Bell 407GXi aircraft, Textron announced on 18 April.
Should the Bell 407GXi be selected for the US Navy's Advanced Helicopter Trainer programme, Bell plans to conduct final assembly in Ozark, Alabama. The navy is seeking to acquire 130 aircraft under the programme.
The Bell 407GXi is outfitted with the new Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 dual channel FADEC turbine engine. The aircraft also features Garmin’s G1000H NXi integrated flight deck, which delivers enhanced situational awareness and reduces pilot workload by delivering information at a glance, such as helicopter synthetic vision technology with terrain and obstacle warning.
Mitch Snyder, president and CEO, said: ‘Bell is proud to be the only US-based manufacturer to participate in the navy's Advanced Helicopter Trainer competition. Our Ozark team has proven their capabilities delivering Bell 407s to the navy through the Fire Scout programme. We look forward to providing a safe, technologically advanced aircraft for the next generation of naval aviators.’
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