Bell Helicopter to assist Indian Government in remake of helicopter operations

Texas – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, today announced that it has received a technical assistance grant designed to help update India’s standards and regulations governing helicopter operations and facilitate the expansion of safe and reliable helicopter services throughout India. Timothy J. Roemer, US Ambassador to India awarded the grant valued at over $500,000 in a ceremony held in New Delhi and attended by the Director General of Civil Aviation Dr. Nasim Zaidi. Bell will assist the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to provide guidance in framing rules and procedures for safe helicopter operations, setting up heliports and heliroutes, accident investigation and aircraft certification. B.S. Singh Deo, Bell’s Managing Director for India, said “This agreement is the culmination of an initiative under the US-India Aviation Cooperation Program to provide expert advice based on the company’s involvement in helicopter operations around the world. Bell is excited about the prospect of helping expand the use of helicopters in India and views this as a good example of the expanding aviation partnership between the two countries”. Under the US Government’s Technical Development Agency funded project, Bell will send executives to India for a period of six months to work with officials from the DGCA. One of the projects goals is envisaged that several Indian cities will be able to set up city centre heliports and helicopter operators and users will be able to take full advantage of the vertical lift technology.