Bell Helicopter relocates programs to optimize manufacturing

Fort Worth, Texas – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, plans to relocate several programs to optimize manufacturing capabilities across multiple Bell Helicopter facilities.

 

Effective immediately, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X final assembly in Lafayette, Lousiana, will relocate to the company’s Mirabel Assembly and Delivery Center in Canada. In addition, the Lafayette facility will receive the Bell 525 Relentless cabin subassembly, relocating from the Amarillo, Texas, facility, and the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) modification work relocating from the Bell Helicopter facility in Ozark, Alabama. Neither move is expected to impact the certification of the Bell 525 or Bell 505. 

 

“The relocation of these programs will enable the company to optimize its manufacturing footprint across multiple sites, while maximizing the core capabilities of each facility,” said President and CEO of Bell Helicopter Mitch Snyder. “Mirabel is a vital part of Bell Helicopter's long-term growth strategy and this move confirms our commitment to our Mirabel workforce and infrastructure. We also remain committed to Louisiana, where we have received tremendous support from the state and local government.”

 

Bell Helicopter built the first three Bell 505 flight test vehicles at the Mirabel facility and is working closely with Transport Canada to achieve type certification and production certification this year. Once certification is completed, Bell Helicopter will begin production and deliveries out of the Mirabel facility.

 

The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X continues to make progress and achieve testing milestones. The flight test vehicles 1 to 3 have accumulated more than 700 flight test hours. To date, Bell Helicopter has received more than 380 letters of intent from around the globe for the five-seat, single-engine, turbine helicopter Bell 505.

 

The Bell 525 is designed to bring a new level of safety and reliability in the most demanding environments through the innovation of the first commercially certified fly-by-wire flight control system and triplex systems. The aircraft integrates critical systems data to be easily accessible at a glance with the Garmin G5000H suite, reducing pilot workload in a state-of-the-art cockpit environment. The first flight of the Bell 525 was July 1. 2015 and certification of the aircraft is anticipated in 2017.

 

The MQ-8C Fire Scout fully autonomous tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) system provides the U.S. Navy with twice the endurance and three times more payload capacity compared to the existing MQ-8B variant. Fire Scout provides critical mission support capabilities not achievable with fixed wing UAVs. It can provide target-acquisition, laser designation, and battle management to tactical users without relying on manned aircraft or space-based assets. Fire Scout has the ability to operate from any air-capable ship or land base in support of persistent ISR requirements.