With fake outrage the editor of the Helihub website generated an open letter "shaming" Bell for promoting the 525 as an EC225 replacement (see below):
19 May, 16, Source: HeliHub.com
Respected aviation media outlet Aviation International News has run a story quoting Bell saying that their new 525 Relentless helicopter, currently under development, is a “Super Puma replacement”. Helihub.com has requested validation of the quote from Bell, but despite opening our email within one minute of sending it over four hours prior to us publishing this piece, the company has failed to respond. We cannot believe that Aviation International News would publish wording they cannot stand by, so we have to assume the quote is correct.
How can a manufacturer of the standing of Bell stoop so low as to malign a competitor aircraft at a time when there is a significant safety focus on the AS332/H225 following the accident near Bergen in Norway on 29th April?
Now that the latest EC225 info on the latest fatal crash points to a design deficiency and the 225 is looking at another extended grounding at best (despite Airbus's press releases saying nothing to see here all is fine just a mechanic screw up), Helihub should apologize to Bell and request Airbus to apologize to all maintainers. I know they won't because they would loose all that "advertising" (payoff) money.
The Sultan