The Bell 407GXi fleet under Nautilus Aviation, one of Australia’s premier helicopter operators with more than 25 years of flying experience, has now clocked 3,000 successful flight hours.

In March 2022, Nautilus Aviation placed an order for five new Bell 407GXis to support tourism charter and utility flights in Northern Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef region. Delivery was completed in the first quarter of 2023. The aircraft were quickly deployed to assist with disaster relief efforts during the historic flooding of Northwestern Queensland in March 2023.

For nearly a month, the Nautilus team operated their Bell 407GXis tirelessly and effectively to conduct resupply missions, evacuations, long-line and cargo operations, and transport key government, emergency, and infrastructure personnel. The aircraft were equipped with cargo hooks, emergency flotation systems, and tail-mounted cameras to aid these relief operations. Additionally, this fleet has been called upon to perform search and rescue work in the Northern Territory as well.