Bell Textron Inc. announced a milestone achievement at the Farnborough International Airshow on 23 July 2024 – the delivery of the 500th Bell 429 aircraft. The landmark helicopter was received by the Mendes Group, a Latin American operator, and will be utilized for corporate transportation in Brazil.

“Bell is proud to celebrate the 500^th delivery to Group Mendes with their fourth Bell 429. The Bell 429 platform holds a remarkable performance reputation with a growing global footprint, and will greatly add to Mendes Group’s capabilities.”

John Ramos, managing director, Latin America

Renowned for its exceptional speed, range, and hover performance, the Bell 429 is a top contender in the light twin helicopter category. This state-of-the-art single-pilot IFR helicopter boasts user-rated in-service support, making it a compelling choice for operators. The versatile Bell 429 caters to a wide range of applications including air medical services, public safety operations, oil and gas exploration, utility tasks, and corporate travel.

The global Bell 429 fleet has surpassed an impressive 735,000 total fleet hours. Notably, a Bell 429 piloted by W.R. “Bob” Dengler and Steven Dengler even achieved a Guinness World Record for the first father-and-son global circumnavigation by aircraft in 2017.

“The 500^th delivery of the Bell 429 marks a significant, historic achievement for the platform and serves as a testament to the value it provides our global customer base. The Bell 429 fleet continues to grow across all mission segments, specifically for corporate travel, public safety and emergency medical transportation. Throughout the aircraft’s history, Bell has introduced numerous platform enhancements to exceed mission requirements.” 

Danny Maldonado. Chief Commercial Officer, Bell

The official handover ceremony for the 500th Bell 429 took place at the Bell Textron Canada Ltd. facility in Mirabel, Quebec. This location serves as the heart of Bell’s current commercial production line, encompassing the Bell 505, Bell 407GXi, Bell 429, and SUBARU Bell 412EPX helicopters. Bell Textron boasts a remarkable legacy of building and delivering over 5,800 commercial helicopters to date.

I had the privilege and honour of flying in the Designer Series Bell 429 earlier this year in Kuala Lumpur and you can read about my experience here: https://timchew.net/2024/04/25/where-comfort-meets-elegance-the-bell-429-designer-series/

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Photos courtesy of