Textron to sell 50 new Bell 505 helicopters to China’s Reignwood

SINGAPORE – Textron Inc.’s Bell Helicopter unit received a commitment from China’s Reignwood Group to purchase 50 helicopters to meet growing demand for travel and tourism.

The order for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is the single biggest for the newly developed model, the Fort Worth, Texas-based Textron unit said in an e-mailed statement. It comes on top of an existing commitment for 10 made in March.

A move by China to open lower air space to civilian use is generating demand for helicopters as the nation increases investment in more remote areas that often lack proper airport facilities. The Bell 505s would be used for travel and tourism purposes, said Zheng Gang, Reignwood’s director of aviation.

The helicopter completed its maiden flight Nov. 10 at the manufacturing facilities in Quebec. Bell has received more than 240 letters of intent for the model, the company said.

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The global helicopter market sales will increase by about 3 percent a year for the next decade to about 28,000 units by 2023, according to Ascend, an industry consultant.

Bell Helicopter is a division of Providence, R.I.-based Textron.

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