Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced the delivery of the 2,000th Bell 407 to White Saddle Air Services, a family-owned and operated helicopter company based at Bluff Lake, near Tatla Lake, in British Columbia’s Cariboo Chilcotin region. The delivery marks a milestone for a platform that has supported operators around the world for nearly three decades across commercial, utility, corporate and other mission operations.
Since entering service in the 1990s, the Bell 407 has been used worldwide as a light single-engine, multi-mission helicopter. Its combination of performance, reliability, cabin comfort, visibility and operational flexibility has made it a widely used platform for customers operating in a range of environments and applications.
Danny Maldonado, president and CEO of Bell, said, “The delivery of the 2000th Bell 407 is a tremendous milestone for Bell and for the global community of operators who have placed their confidence in this platform,” adding, “This achievement reflects the dedication and expertise of the teams who collectively work together to engineer and build this platform, as well as the customers that use this aircraft to perform everyday missions.”
The Bell 407’s operational record has been shaped by operators across a range of sectors, including public safety, emergency medical services, utility, corporate transport and specialised missions. From critical missions in North America to diverse operations worldwide, these customers demonstrate the platform’s ability to deliver dependable performance across a broad range of demanding environments.
Following the Bell 407’s earlier evolutions, including the Bell 407GX and the Bell 407GXP, the Bell 407GXi was introduced in 2018 as the next advancement of the platform, bringing integrated technology and operational capability. The GXi introduced the Garmin G1000H™ NXi integrated flight deck, providing an all-glass avionics suite that enhances situational awareness, improves navigation and helps reduce pilot workload. Combined with the platform’s performance, spacious cabin and mission flexibility, these advancements strengthened the Bell 407’s ability to support demanding operations around the world and positioned the GXi to carry the platform into its next generation of service.
With 2,000 Bell 407 helicopters now delivered, the milestone reflects the continued confidence of operators around the world who rely on the platform to support essential services, commercial operations and specialised missions. This achievement also recognises the contributions of the team at Bell’s commercial centre of excellence in Mirabel, Quebec, whose expertise and commitment support the production and delivery of the Bell 407 to customers worldwide. As the Bell 407 continues to evolve through modern technology and ongoing product improvements, the platform is positioned to build on its global legacy and serve customers for years to come.
