Bell Helicopter has signed an agreement with Reignwood International Investment Group Company Ltd. (Reignwood) under which Reignwood has agreed to purchase an additional 50 Bell 505s, act as the exclusive reseller for the Bell 505 in China and establish a Bell 505 delivery and maintenance centre.

The new contract follows purchase agreements signed earlier this year with Reignwood for 60 Bell 505s, bringing its total Bell 505 orders to 110 aircraft. At Heli-Expo 2017, the two companies signed an amendment to their agreement confirming the purchase and delivery of 50 Bell 505 Jet Ranger X aircraft over three years. This was in addition to 10 Bell 505s previously ordered.

The U.S. firm is seeing surging demand for its helicopters in China. In August, Bell delivered the first Bell 407GXP to Shaanxi Helicopter Co. Ltd. (SHC), a subsidiary of Shaanxi Energy Group. This aircraft was the first of 100 Bell 407GXPs the company is to receive under a purchase agreement signed in June.