Bell reports status of the 429 program

Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, provided a status update on a wide range of activities surrounding the 429 development program.

According to Danny Maldonado, senior vice president of Customer Support and Chief Service Officer at Bell, "There is so much more to building a new helicopter than just producing the aircraft. Over the past three years we have had teams of people working to make sure the proper support structure will be in place to ensure our customers get the training and logistical support they will need to successfully operate the 429."

Neil Marshall, commercial program director for the 429 program stated, "As we approach the certification date we are working internally to coordinate our efforts to support this helicopter from day one so our customers receive the world-class customer support they have come to expect from Bell Helicopter."

Maintenance support has been a critical focus for the Bell team and today they proudly announced that the Bell 429 will be the first commercial new generation light twin to be listed on the EASA maintenance program. A Customer Maintenance Advisory Panel is in place to develop the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA's) using a process known as MSG-3. Using a systems analysis approach to maintenance, MSG-3 ensures aircraft safety and operational economy, minimizes deterioration of the inherent aircraft reliability and associated costs, and minimizes on-aircraft failures through preventative maintenance. Bell hopes to receive ICA acceptance from Transport Canada, EASA and the FAA in the near future.