Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced a signed purchase agreement with Caverton Helicopters Limited for a Bell 429, which will be utilized for offshore operations in Cameroon. This is the first Bell 429 to operate in the oil and gas market in West Africa.

“Caverton’s choice to introduce the Bell 429 into its fleet not only demonstrates the strengthening of our relationship with Caverton, but also the Bell 429’s ability to exceed the critical requirements of West Africa’s offshore utility market. The hard-working men and women who are the core of the most important industries in West Africa will come to count on the Bell 429 to ensure mission success,” said Patrick Moulay, senior vice president, International Sales.

Caverton Helicopters is a subsidiary of the Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc (COSG), which is a fully integrated offshore support company providing aviation and marine logistics services to businesses operating in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and across West Africa.

“Having operated a variety of Bell products across our operations over the years, we are excited to continue with this brand, synonymous with excellent performance,” said Rotimi Makanjuola, Chief Operating Officer, Caverton Offshore Support Group. “Introducing the Bell 429 into our fleet is an exciting milestone for us and will enable us to provide the best support for our oil and gas clients across the continent.”

There are currently more than 450 Bell 429s operating around the world, with over 602,000 global flight hours. The Bell 429 keeps crews safe in treacherous environments and protected from wear, combining a large multi-mission cabin with impressive speed and modern technology to provide capabilities that are critical to operators around the globe.