These are the first Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters delivered into the Asia-Pacific region, where Bell expects to see the highest demand globally for the new 505s.

“The Australian helicopter market is one of the largest and most important segments globally for Bell. We are pleased that the first 505s delivered into the region are with Nautilus Aviation, and are confident that both helicopters will deliver exceptional value to Nautilus in its endeavour to provide customers an unparalleled experience,” said Sameer A. Rehman, managing director of Bell Helicopter Asia Pacific. “We look forward to working closely with Nautilus to bring these aircraft into service and supporting Nautilus’ preparation of the aircraft for charter and utility operations.”

Nautilus Aviation first accepted delivery of both 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters at Bell’s Mirabel, Quebec, facility in October 2017. The aircraft were then shipped to Australia and will be used for tourism charter and utility flights in the North Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef region.

“At Nautilus, safety and excellence are paramount to us and in both regards, the Bell 505 has performed beyond our expectations throughout the test flights we took,” said Aaron Finn, CEO of Nautilus Aviation. “I am confident that the new 505, with its advanced safety and avionics technology, will help us deliver a unique and safe experience for all our customers.”

The reliability, speed, performance, and manoeuvrability of the Bell 505 is integrated with a flat-floor, open cabin that is configurable for a wide variety of missions and payloads. The spacious cabin can be configured to carry up to four passengers or configured for internal cargo missions by removing quick disconnect rear cabin seats and/or co-pilot seat.

The Bell 505’s flat-floor cabin design and large rectangular baggage compartment lets the Bell 505 adapt to changing mission needs. These features combined with a proven and reliable drive train and rotor system make the Bell 505 a true multi-mission aircraft in the short, light, single-engine market.

After Nautilus accepted the delivery of the 505 Jet Ranger Xs at Bell’s Mirabel facility, the aircraft were shipped to Australia and will be used for tourism charter and utility flights in the North Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef region.