Bell introduced a new helicopter model, the 407GXi, at Heli-Expo 2018 in Las Vegas on Monday. The aircraft, based on the 407 airframe, offers new avionics, an upgraded engine and new executive interior design options. The cockpit is now equipped with Garmin’s G1000H NXi integrated flight deck, which provides faster speeds as well as brighter, clearer screens. The new Rolls-Royce M250-C47E/4 dual-channel Fadec turbine engine delivers improved hot and high performance and fuel efficiency, the company says. The 407GXi will cruise at 133 knots. It’s been certified by Transport Canada and the first delivery is scheduled for this spring. Bell also announced recently it has changed its company name from “Bell Helicopter” to simply “Bell.”
The company said last week its “brand strategy” and new logo are “rooted in the company’s focus on innovation and customer experience.” It’s the first image makeover for the company since Textron bought the company in 1960, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Bell’s leadership believes “on-demand mobility,” such as air taxis and unmanned aircraft that can haul heavy loads over challenging terrain, could become as big a part of the company’s mission as its traditional business, CEO Mitch Snyder told the Star-Telegram. “Bell has always been about more than just helicopters,” Snyder said. Regarding the new logo, he added: “The dragonfly can take off and land wherever it wants, fly quickly and efficiently in any direction, and hover at will. It represents the mastery of flight, something Bell strives to achieve.”
