MONTREAL, March 1 /PRNewswire/ - Bell Helicopter, a worldwide provider of vertical lift aircraft, has signed a contract for a Bell 412EP Flight Training Device to be provided by Mechtronix Systems Inc. (MSI), a fast growing provider of flight simulation technology. MSI decided to enter the simulator commercial helicopter market as there is a huge market for modern low-cost training devices, for which the MSI technology and industrial process is perfectly suited.

Bell Helicopter is the launch customer for the Ascent(R) training equipments for helicopter. They have placed an order for a Bell 412EP convertible to Huey II Ascent(R) Flight Training Device (FTD) using synthetic display technology. This FTD is to be qualified as a level 5 FTD under the FAA regulations. The device will be used by Bell Helicopter for entry level pilots for cockpit familiarization, and to introduce Rotary Wing aircraft handling skills at the initial stages of training.

Following its Replication Architecture, MSI will be reproducing the Bell 412EP by using its unique economic design and fabrication processes. This high fidelity FTD will be delivered to Bell Helicopter's facility in Dallas, Texas by the end of spring 2007.

"We are confident that our track record with building cost effective product solutions for aircrafts will meet the training requirements emerging from the helicopter market as well," said Mechtronix CEO Fernando Petruzziello. "We are glad to see that Bell like many other aerospace companies, value Mechtronix' technology, its quality and affordability. We look forward to providing Bell Flight Training Devices for years to come."

Bell Helicopter

Founded in 1935 as Bell Aircraft Corporation, Bell headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas provides vertical lift aircraft. They have obtained certification for commercial helicopter and have delivered more than 35,000 aircrafts to their customers around the world. A pioneer in the helicopter market, they were the first to introduce a tilt rotor aircraft, which lifts like a helicopter and flies like an aircraft. Bell has plants in Texas and Canada and has supply & service centers in Europe, Canada, Singapore and the United States.

About Mechtronix Systems Inc. (MSI)

Born out of the micro-processor revolution in the early 80's, MSI is a privately held company headquartered in Montreal, Canada, one of North America's aerospace clusters. Over the last 20 years, MSI has acquired the resources and capabilities allowing the design of intelligent machines, such as flight simulators. Relying on its unique and economically advantageous fabrication process, MSI is one of the world's fastest growing providers of flight training equipment. Its worldwide customers include major airline companies such as Alitalia, Copa Airlines, CAFUC (China), Japan Airlines, Lufthansa, and Northwest Airlines. MSI's newest addition to the Ascent(R) series is the FFS X(TM) full flight simulator, including the Non Zero Flight Time(TM) (NZFT(TM)) and the Zero Flight Time(TM) (ZFT(TM)) configurations. The Ascent(R) offer also include Simulated Aircraft Hardware, FTDs, Full Flight Trainers(TM) which are an integral part of the Aerosim-Mechtronix Integrated Training Architecture(TM).