Press Release

Issued by Jet Aviation Australia.

August 15, 2013

Bell Helicopter's new Short Light Single (SLS) helicopter product is already proving immensely popular in the region, with Hawker Pacific – the leading aircraft sales and product support company in Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East – pleased to report strong forward interest in Australia and New Zealand, well before the helicopter becomes available in the market.

The brand new product sees Bell's return to the SLS engine market and has been designed based on input from a customer advisory council. According to Bell, the design focus has been on costs and useful load, which Hawker Pacific says has contributed to its overwhelming reception. The five-seat entry-level helicopter is expected to complete its first flight in 2014 with certification to follow shortly after.

Tony Jones, Hawker Pacific's senior vice president, Aircraft Sales Group said: “There just isn't another aircraft in the world that is so well-suited to our requirements here, which is why we are extremely excited about its arrival, and so are our customers. While the customer base for light single helicopters is spread right across the globe, there is a healthy appetite in Australia/New Zealand, and with the price point just right, the market is understandably excited.”

“It's evident that Bell has really listened to what the market wants and needs, and that the aircraft is a culmination of serious research and development efforts to come up with the right product, at the right price, at the right time. Our team on the ground is anticipating thatinterest will ramp up as further details are released by Bell prior to the first flight.”

“The SLS represents an exhilarating future for helicopters, and Bell is leading the technological evolution to make that future a reality. In addition to the new SLS aircraft, Bell continues to make announcements of model improvements and additions to their range. It's exciting times and we are proud to represent Bell Helicopter in Australia and New Zealand. We look forward to continuing to grow our relationship as wesupport their products and expand our operations across the region.”

The new Bell SLS helicopter will be powered by a Turbomeca Arrius 2R engine with dual channel full authority digital engine control (FADEC), this will offer the benchmark for performance and power. With its forward facing seats, superb visibility and a fully integrated glass flightdeck for improved safety, this aircraft is destined to be a class leader.

Additional safety enhancing design features will reduce pilot workload, improve situational awareness and deliver superior auto rotation capabilities. The combination of capabilities, performance characteristics and value will be backed by Bell Helicopter's industry-leading service and support. The new helicopter is expected to achieve first flight in 2014. Bell Helicopter will continue to release key information about the product and suppliers throughout its development.

Hawker Pacific is now taking Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to reserve delivery positions of the new SLS helicopter. For more information, please contact Mathew Hardy on +61 (0) 404 886 810 or email mathew.hardy@hawkerpacific.com.

Hawker Pacific is the appointed distributor for Bell Helicopter products throughout Australia and New Zealand. Follow @HawkerPacific on Twitter for the latest news and updates from Hawker Pacific.