Where Inspired Ideas Take Off
Redefining air travel for the 21st century requires visionary thinking - from new product development and the innovative use of materials to building the best global product support network in the world. At Bell Helicopter, vision is both a heritage and a proven business strategy. Bell's revolutionary tiltrotor technology is making an indelible mark on the history of aviation by combining the versatility of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. 1999 marked the delivery of the first three production Bell Boeing V-22 tiltrotors to the U.S. Marines.
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For four decades, Bell has been working to bring this vision to life through engineering ingenuity and the breakthrough use of composite technology. Bell engineers determined that composite materials are essential to achieve the strength, weight, damage tolerance, corrosion resistance and survivability requirements necessary for the V-22's military missions. Today, composites account for over 75 percent of the V-22. This creative thinking has placed Bell at the forefront of its industry in the use of composites.
The applications - and long-term growth potential - for tiltrotor technology in both military and commercial aviation are tremendous. We expect to deliver over 450 of these aircraft to the U.S. military by 2013 for a total contract value to Bell exceeding $15 billion. And we intend to leverage the success of the V-22 into other domestic and international military applications.
In the commercial arena, Bell continues to differentiate itself from the competition by developing the most reliable helicopters in the industry. From the 206B JetRanger to the Bell 430, Bell's commercial line of helicopters serves the emergency medical, law enforcement, search and rescue, executive transport and other commercial markets.
Bell will continue this legacy of performance with the commercial Bell Agusta 609 tiltrotor. The BA 609 has over 77 orders from 42 different customers in 18 countries - a testimony to the high customer demand for this aircraft. Bell is widely recognized for having a customer support network that is second to none. Our new on-line service capabilities enable customers to order replacement parts and download service manuals anytime, from anywhere in the world.