Bell has just announced that they have taken a 407GXP on a demo tour of Nepal, not only to target local sales, but to put a stake in the ground on the model’s performance profile.

The 407GXP was launched at Heli-Expo in March 2015, and brings a 50 lb (22kg) payload increase and pilot workload reduction such a hover performance calculator improvement.  The GXP model also has a transmission TBO extension of +500 hours that is expected to lower maintenance costs.

Bell’s demonstration pilot Will Williamson began demonstration flights in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, and flew into the Mount Everest Base Camp area. While there, the Bell 407GXP successfully climbed to an altitude of 20,000 feet. The demonstration flight was executed from Lukla airfield, and included several landings from 13,500 to 19,600 ft. near the Everest Base Camp.

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com