Bell Helicopter, a division of Textron, recently announced orders for 14 Model 505 JetRanger X light singles in South Africa. Bell’s local sales representative, National Airways, was responsible for the sales, mostly to “private pilots and enthusiasts,” according to the OEM. Nine of the sales were announced at the 8th Africa Aerospace and Defense (AAD) show last month in Tshwane, South Africa.

The direct ancestor to the in-development Model 505 is well known in the region. There are more than 170 Bell 206 JetRangers operating in the country, most of which are more than 20 years old–a promising outlook for further sales of the Garmin G1000H-equipped 505. The light single is powered by a Turbomeca Arrius 2R turboshaft with Fadec-control. Bell describes the rotor system as a “high inertia” system, yielding “superior autorotation capabilities.”

Speaking at the AAD show, Bell regional v-p of commercial business, Middle East and Africa, Steve Suttles said, “The excitement generated by the JetRanger X mockup has been amazing, especially as customer see its capabilities and spacious cabin in person.”

Bell also announced good news last month from the Monaco Yacht Show in France, where it revealed the sale of the first VIP Bell 429 in the country. Héli-Securité took delivery of the aircraft, which was on display at the internationally recognized yacht expo. The operator will use the helicopter for VIP and corporate transport throughout the French Riviera and the French Alps. The sale was arranged by newly appointed regional independent sales representative HeliDeal.