As time passes, operators question BA609 appeal | Aviation International News

As time passes, operators question BA609 appeal

The Bell/Agusta BA609 civil tiltrotor program is moving forward, according to a Bell spokesman, with two more flight-test ships scheduled to join the two a

By Thierry Dubois • Writer

July 30, 2007

The Bell/Agusta BA609 civil tiltrotor program is moving forward, according to a Bell spokesman, with two more flight-test ships scheduled to join the two already flying over the next 18 months. However, there are some indications that the program, now into its 10th year, is beginning to falter.

Orders, which once stood at a high of 80, have slipped to 70, according to Bell, which confirms 40 customers in 22 countries. About 50 percent of those customers are in North America, with the remainder mainly in Europe. The spokesman said the company received new orders for the tiltrotor at this year’s Paris Air Show, but he could not confirm a specific number or say how many of those were backed by deposits.

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