Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced during European Rotors 2025 that a single, dedicated Bell 505 has surpassed 700 flight hours using blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a key milestone that showcases Bell’s commitment to SAF usage and builds on its sustainability practices in its flight operations.
“Bell is proud to celebrate this next step in industry carbon reduction objectives,” said Robin Wendling, Managing Director of Europe, Bell. “Working alongside Safran Helicopter Engines has given us the cutting-edge advantage of exploring opportunities in greener aviation practices.”
In March 2022, Bell announced its collaboration with Safran Helicopter Engines to explore technical performance and economic impacts of sustainable aviation fuel on the Bell 505 powered by the Arrius 2R engine. Nearly one year after the announcement, the Bell 505 became the first-ever single engine helicopter to fly with 100% SAF during a demonstration flight. Since July 2022, Bell has accumulated over 700 flight hours using blended SAF on a single Bell 505 helicopter at the Bell Training Academy. Assessments of engine operability and aircraft performance, as well as engine inspection, have yielded positive results to date.
Jean-François Sauer, Safran Helicopter Engines, EVP Programs, commented, “We are particularly pleased with these SAF flights in partnership with Bell. SAF is key towards more sustainable helicopter use. The Arrius 2R, like all our engines, are currently able to operate with up to 50% drop-in SAF. Very soon, our engines will be capable of 100% drop-in SAF, paving the way for wider use of this type of fuel for increased sustainability of helicopter operations.”
Combining its Safran Arrius 2R engine, dual channel FADEC, and Garmin G1000H NXi all-glass avionics suite with a moving map display, the Bell 505 is one of the most technologically advanced platforms in its class. The added benefit of wide panoramic windows, open cabin design, and Synthetic Vision technology has classified this five-seater aircraft as an ideal platform for a variety of missions, including public safety, utility, and military training.
