2-Dec-2016 Source: Bell Helicopters
While in the Philippines, the Bell 412EPI and its crew made stops in the cities of Manila, Cebu and Davao. At each city, the Bell team visited the Air Force bases flying with dozens of Air Force pilots over the course of six weeks. During the six weeks of demos, the Philippine’s Under Secretary to the Department of National Defense, esteemed Air Force generals, and the Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines joined the Bell team for flights.
Before leaving the Philippines, the crew visited the city of Davao to again showcase the Bell 412EPIs capabilities at high altitude conditions. The Bell 429 joined them on this endeavor. In Davao a potentially active stratovolcano known as Mt. Apo is the highest peak in the country at almost 9,700 ft. Although the Bell 412EPI has demonstrated its extreme elevation capabilities before, it was time to show those attending in Davao first hand by landing on the summit of Mt. Apo.
As part of the demonstration tour, the team also stopped in Kota Kinabalu in the state of Sabah. This is where the Bell 412EPI showcased its high altitude performance around Mt. Kinabalu with its 13,435 ft. summit – the highest peak in the region. The summit is located within the Kinabalu National Park, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
