Bell Helicopter (Chalet A43) has received additional letters of intent (LoIs) here for its new Bell 525 Relentless super medium twin. Petroleum Air Services, an Egypt-based operator, has signed up for two Bell 525s. The company provides both fixed-wing and helicopter transportation to the oil-and-gas and travel industries.

Meanwhile, Kuwait City’s Strong Aviation signed a LoI for one Bell 525 and plans to operate it for corporate transport missions in the area.

On the MRO front, Petroleum Air Services has applied to become the first Bell Helicopter authorized customer service facility in North Africa, in 2016. Based at Al Ain international airport, Horizon International Flight Academy is to become the first Bell Helicopter authorized training center in the Middle East. “Our commercial helicopter sales have tripled since last year in the Middle East,” said Ray Lamas, Bell’s general manager for global customer training.