Bell Textron Inc. has been chosen by the U.S. Army to proceed to the next phase of the competition for its Flight School Next program. This selection means Bell and its industry team will progress into the program’s second stage, solidifying their position as a contender to provide the Army’s future aviation training solution.
“We are honored to move forward in the Army’s Flight School Next program,” said Jeffrey Schloesser, Bell’s senior vice president of strategic pursuits. “With Bell’s extensive history in military flight training, the proven Bell 505, and the expertise of our teammates, we are confident that our turnkey solution will support the Army in developing the next generation of Aviation Warfighters.”
The company’s connection to U.S. Army flight training spans more than seven decades. Bell’s legacy began with the iconic H-13 Sioux, the Army’s very first primary helicopter trainer. That lineage continued through the UH-1H Iroquois “Huey” and the TH-67 Creek. The aircraft proposed for Flight School Next, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, is the modern embodiment of this heritage, designed to offer the same combination of high performance, reliability, and ease of maintenance.
For the Flight School Next program, Bell is proposing a comprehensive, turnkey solution. This package integrates the technologically advanced Bell 505 platform with the globally recognized curriculum and standards of the Bell Training Academy (BTA). The solution further incorporates modern, adaptive training technologies designed to enhance learning efficiency and pilot proficiency.
As Bell enters this next competitive phase, the team is prepared to demonstrate in detail how its integrated approach—leveraging a proven aircraft, a world-class training academy, and cutting-edge technology—will effectively transform Army student pilots into the next generation of operational aviation warfighters. The program aims to modernize the Army’s flight training pipeline, and Bell’s submission is built upon a foundation of deep historical partnership and a clear vision for the future of military aviation training.
