UK representatives for Bell Helicopter have announced (via the Sales Director’s pseudonym LongBox on the popular PPRuNe forum) that they are taking the Bell 505 mockup to Goodwood Festival of Speed.  This event is a cross between a public motor show where manufacturers show off their model range to an out-and-out demonstration of race cars, from current F1 and rally cars to historic racing cars. FoS opens Thursday 26th and runs through to Sunday 29th June – and is intentionally timed between two F1 race weekends.  Yes, it’s that important.

The mockup is the white one of the three – the blue one is currently in South America according to ModoCharle.com, and the red one last seen in Australia at Rotortech 2014.  The Europe-touring white 505 mockup has already been publically shown at both EBACE in Geneva 19-21 May and Heli UK Expo at Sywell UK on 3-4 June.  Goodwood PR have wrongly stated that it is the 505’s first UK airing, just in the same way aviation publishers Shephard Group thought it’s show at Sywell was the first in Europe.  Face plant.

Heli-Charter will also have a Bell 429 on their display on Saturday and Sunday.

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com