Nevada Department of Wildlife to rejuvenate helicopter fleet with Eagle 407HP and Honeywell turboshaft engine

HELI-EXPO, LOUISVILLE, Ky., 3 March 2016. Officials at the Nevada Department of Wildlife needed modern aircraft to help personnel maintain the state’s fish and wildlife resources and manage boating safety. They found their solution at Eagle Copters Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, opting to rejuvenate the agency’s rotorcraft fleet with the Eagle 407HP helicopter, powered by Honeywell’s HTS900 turboshaft engine.

Officials at the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), a state agency largely responsible for the proper management of Nevada’s fish and wildlife resources and boating safety, are opting to replace aging Bell 206B3 JetRanger III helicopters with the Eagle 407HP rotorcraft.

The Eagle 407HP taps Honeywell’s HTS900 engine, which enables a 22 percent increase in shaft horsepower, an additional 500 pounds of payload, 17 percent lower fuel burn, and the enhanced safety of a true dual-channel, full-authority, digital engine control over the conventional Bell 407, officials explain.

“We are fortunate that the director of Wildlife and Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners have placed such a high priority on the safety and performance of our flight crew and staff. The Eagle 407HP is a valuable resource to our department and would not have been made possible without the public and private organizations that have shown their support,” affirms Greg Smith, chief pilot for NDOW. “We look forward to using this new aircraft and technology to expand our current mission profile while remaining within the Bell Helicopter family of products. Both Eagle Copters and Honeywell have put together an impressive product, and we will take full advantage of the increased performance and improved maintenance and fuel savings the Eagle 407HP offers.”

Eagle Copters continues to broaden its reach by selling the first Eagle 407HP in Australia, saysd Barry Kohler, president and CEO for Eagle Copters. “We are excited to see this program continue to gain market share in North America and around the globe.”

The Nevada Department of Wildlife plans to put the Eagle 407HP into service in mid-March.

Eagle Copters Ltd. -- a family-owned, second-generation company founded in 1975 based at the Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada -- specializes in sales, leasing, maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO), manufacturing, mainframe and tailboom fixture sales as well as spare parts support. Eagle Copters Maintenance Ltd., a Bell Platinum Customer Service Facility, is also Department of Transport Maintenance Organization (AMO Certification Number 6-81), accepted FAA facility, accepted JAR-145 facility, Department of National Defense (DOD) approved contractor, and approved by the Republic of Chile No. 333.

Eagle Copters is home to the Eagle Single, an STC that converts the Bell 212 helicopter to a single engine application utilizing the Honeywell T53 engine. Also, the Eagle 407HP is a STC that replaces the existing engine in the Bell 407 to a Honeywell HTS900 giving the ultimate in hot and high performance. Eagle Copters has two satellite locations to maximize the convenience to its customers. Eagle Copters South America SA is located just outside of Santiago, Chile and has all the core capabilities as the Calgary facility plus is the Bell Independent Representative for commercial sales. The newest location for Eagle Copters Australasia Pty. Ltd. is in Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia.