Bell helo center formally opens

LAFAYETTE, La. – Bell Helicopter announced today the Bell Helicopter Lafayette Assembly Center is officially open for business. The company will assemble the new commercial helicopter, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, at the new facility. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Steven Grissom and other state, regional and local officials joined Bell Helicopter's president and CEO, John Garrison, to commemorate the occasion Thursday at the Lafayette Regional Airport. Bell Helicopter is a Textron company. (Source: Bell Helicopter, 08/27/15) Bell Helicopter, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, broke ground on the 82,300 square-foot helicopter assembly plant in August 2014. Lafayette is about 135 miles west of New Orleans.