Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today a signed letter of intent with Guangxi Diwang Group for 10 Bell 525 Relentless super-medium helicopters. Guangxi Diwang Group will use the Bell 525s for tourism and search-and-rescue missions. Guangxi Diwang Group is a Commercial Development and Real Estate Investor.

“After learning more about the Bell 525, being able to experience its capabilities in the aircraft’s simulator, and seeing the prototype fly at its production center in Amarillo it was easy to determine that the Bell 525 is the best choice to fill our commercial needs in China,” said Hai Lin, Chairman of Guangxi Diwang Group. “We are eager to incorporate the aircraft into our operations and are confident that it will provide exceptional value and performance for our variety of clients and that Bell Helicopter will be there to support us.”

“The Bell 525 is the first fly-by-wire commercial helicopter, and we are excited to see our first Chinese customer come forward and make the commitment to sign a letter of intent for a significant number of aircraft to debut in that market,” said Larry Roberts, Bell Helicopter’s vice president of sales and marketing for the Bell 525 Relentless program. “With its diverse capabilities, the Bell 525 is a great fit for Guangxi Diwang Group’s range of missions while also being cost effective.”

The Bell 525 is designed to operate safely and reliably in austere environments and with decreased pilot workload. The aircraft integrates critical systems data to be easily accessible at a glance with the Garmin G5000H® suite, the first fully-integrated touch screen flight deck designed for helicopters. Best-in-class payload, cabin, cargo volumes, comfort and egress complement the technological advancements on the aircraft. The first flight of the Bell 525 was achieved on 1 July 2015 and certification of the aircraft is anticipated in 2017.

From Left to Right: Front Row: Mr. Van Han, Assistant to Chairman, Mr. Hai Lin, Chairman of Guangxi Diwang Investment Group, Bell Helicopter’s Larry Roberts and General Manager of Bell Helicopter’s Amarillo Assembly Center Shannon Massey, Back Row: Loretta Liu, Chief Sales Representative at Aerochine Aviation and Bell Helicopter’s Independent Representative for Southern region of China, Hong Kong and Macau, Bell Helicopter Sales Manager Zhenhong Jin, and Manager of the Bell 525 Program Assembly Dave Dennison