AeroBD | The AERO news Company…: Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with VIP Jets Ltd. for the first Bell 505 Jet Ranger X in Cambodia. This is also the first Bell Helicopter aircraft signed for in Cambodia. The aircraft will be used for VIP and tourist transport from The Royal Sands Koh Rong in Cambodia.

Bell Helicopter’s vice president of Global Sales and Marketing Patrick Moulay signed with Mr. Luzi Matzig, CEO of VIP Jets Ltd.

Operated by Helicopters Cambodia, the Bell 505 will fly VIPs and tourists from Sihanoukville Airport to Koh Rong Island located about 25 kilometers from Sihanoukville, in the Gulf of Thailand. The Royal Sands Koh Rong is a new luxury resort with 67 Villas located on the beach on the island’s West Coast, set to open at the end of 2016.

“As customers begin to experience the capabilities of the Bell 505 and see how the aircraft fits seamlessly into their operations, we believe we will continue to see a number of firsts around the world,” said Patrick Moulay. “We are proud VIP Jets sees the opportunity that the Bell 505 offers and look forward to supporting their operations.”

With a cruise speed of 125 knots (232 km/h), range of 360 nautical miles (667 km) and useful load of 1,500 pounds (608 kg), the Bell 505 is designed to be safe and easy to fly while remaining affordably priced. The customer-driven design of the aircraft places safety, performance and affordability at the forefront, blending proven systems with advanced technology and a sleek, modern design. The Garmin G1000H Integrated Avionics Suite provides pilots critical flight information at a glance to maximize situational awareness. Pilot workload is further reduced by the Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine with dual channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC).

Every Bell Helicopter is backed by the largest support network in the industry with over one hundred Authorized Customer Service Facilities located around the world. Ranked number one by customers for 22 consecutive years in the Helicopter Product Support Survey from Professional Pilot Magazine, Bell Helicopter has also earned top honors in Vertical Magazine’s first-ever comprehensive helicopter manufacturer’s survey. Bell Helicopter is committed to having resources where customers operate to speed up delivery of service and support, and give customers access to service professionals that are easy to reach, know the operating environment and understand their needs.